Zambia's time in Saudi Arabia proved to be "special and very important" in their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, according to striker Fashion Sakala. The Chipolopolo Boys spent several days in the Middle Eastern nation finalizing their preparations for the tournament, which kicked off on Saturday in Ivory Coast. Zambia's first match is set for January 17th against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Speaking to FAZ media in Ivory Coast, Sakala emphasized the value of the Saudi Arabia camp, stating that it provided the team with much-needed space to prepare for the tournament. "The camp was very important and special for us coming to this very big tournament," Sakala said. "We did very well in Saudi Arabia and I could see everyone was working very hard." Zambia's camp included a crucial practice match against Cameroon on January 9th, which ended in a draw. Sakala believes this match played a key role in helping the team gauge their performance against a strong opponent. "We had a match against Cameroon which was very important," Sakala explained. "Playing friendly games against such big countries toward the tournament it gave us the idea to understand how our level is." He further highlighted the camp's contribution to fostering team spirit and praised the motivation of the current squad, which features Stoppila Sunzu as the only remaining player from the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team. "We have a highly motivated squad of young players," Sakala said. "Of course, we have Sunzu, but the good thing about him is that he just fits in and acts our age, and I like it." The Zambia international, who plays his club football in Saudi Arabia, believes the team successfully built a strong bond during their camp, which he identified as a crucial element heading into the tournament. "The most important thing that we achieved was team spirit, team bonding," Sakala concluded. "I think we achieved that looking at how we prepared and how we spent time together. It was very special considering we are coming from different clubs and going into this big tournament. We really needed to have that time together." With their time in Saudi Arabia behind them and their sights set on the tournament opener against DR Congo, Zambia appears well-prepared and in high spirits to make a mark on the Africa Cup of Nations.