Defending champion Zambia under pressure - When group C action opens Monday at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, defending champion Zambia will go against long-time absentee Ethiopia in the first match. But the pressure will be more on the Zambians, who will want to keep the tradition of most of the previous defending champions staying afloat in their opening games.
The last time a defending champion lost its opening game was 21 years ago, when Algeria lost 3-0 to Cote d’Ivoire at the Senegal ’92 championship.
Besides that, Zambia has always been getting the upper hand in its 14 encounters with Ethiopia.
P W D L F A
Zambia 14 7 4 3 22 15
Ethiopia 14 3 4 7 15 22
30 May 1970 Zambia 1-0 Ethiopia (Oq)
16 May 16 1971 Ethiopia 6-3 Zambia (Oq)
1 Apr 1973 Ethiopia 0-0 Zambia (WCq)
15 Apr 1973 Zambia 4-2 Ethiopia (WCq)
18 May 1980 Ethiopia 0-0 Zambia (WCq)
1 June1980 Zambia 4-0 Ethiopia (WCq)
10 Mar 1982 Zambia 1-0 Ethiopia (Afcon)
6 Nov 1988 Zambia 0-0 Ethiopia (Cecafa)
31 Mar 1989 Ethiopia 0-1 Zambia (F)
2 Apr 1989 Ethiopia 2-2 Zambia (F)
17 Nov 1992 Zambia 3-2 Ethiopia (Cecafa)
1 July 2000 Ethiopia 1-0 Zambia (Afcon. Q)
15 July 2000 Zambia 2-0 Ethiopia (Afcon .q)
21 Nov 2001 Ethiopia 1-2 Zambia (F)
Pana 20/01/2013