In the world of sports, where Victories are celebrated and defeats are often considered mere temporary setbacks, Zambia's recent loss against Niger stands out as a stark reminder of the team's unwavering spirit and commitment to excellence. The 2-1 defeat, a first in four encounters against Niger, has stirred a profound introspection among the players, leading to a surge of heartfelt confessions and pledges of improvement. Leading the charge is striker Patson Daka, the lone goal scorer in the match. With a deep sense of accountability, he declared, "An average performance from the whole team on Tuesday night, and a wake-up call for us all before a major tournament ahead. We take full responsibility, will stick together, and fight for our nation's pride." Echoing Daka's sentiment, midfielder Clatous Chama, who received a rare starting nod from coach Avram Grant, penned a message that resonated with fans and fellow players alike. "As this international break ends, let me take this opportunity to thank and appreciate the love and support you all have been giving towards the national team," he wrote. Chama acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, "I believe we all saw that our last game against Niger didn't go as many of us expected, but such things happen, and as of now, we can't change what happened." Despite the setback, he expressed unwavering confidence in the team's ability to bounce back, emphasizing, "I'm also sure that everyone on the team will take full responsibility for our performance and work extra hard for us to reach our target as a team and as a nation. Otherwise, the journey is not an easy one." Goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga, who replaced under-fire Francis Mwansa between the posts, mirrored his teammates' sentiments, declaring, "It was a night that wasn't ours, disappointed with the result, but we will take it as an eye-opener to improve and make sure we can make the nation proud again, which is our responsibility...we will stay together and remain positive." Midfield maestro King Kangwa, who partnered Emmanuel Banda and Chama in the engine room, echoed the collective resolve to rectify the team's misstep. "We let you down in our previous game, and we are going to rectify that on the pitch," he asserted. Kangwa urged the nation to remain steadfast in their support, stating, "Let's put this setback behind us as we focus on the upcoming AFCON. The World Cup journey is very long, and we shall fight to the end. My plea to you all is to continue rallying behind us even in such times." Banda, too, acknowledged the team's shortcomings, expressing, "Bitter pill to swallow. We have been on a good run lately, and maybe just maybe that got to us a bit. We shall not utter any excuses for our defeat yesterday, but we shall build from it and improve as we head into AFCON." With unwavering belief in their collective strength, Banda declared, "We have a team capable of wonders. We believe, and we hope you will believe too. Tuesday was a wake-up call, and we shall only get better." Adding to the chorus of determination, winger Lameck Banda expressed, "Not the best result we wanted but we learn from it. A painful loss it was, but we remain focused and committed. A huge task ahead of us to continue improving more and better." chipolopolo Stars will be looking forward to the next nation team assignment which will be the Africa cup of Nations in January of next year in Ivory Coast to make ammends and let the results speak on the pitch.