Lubambo: Believe in Chipolopolo

Chipolopolo captain Lubambo Musonda is pleading with fans to have faith in the team ahead of tonight’s’ 2022 FIFA World Cup Group B qualifier against Equatorial Guinea at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

Zambia head into match-day -four of their Group B qualifiers on the back of two successive Group B defeats following a promising start on September 3 with a 2-1 away win over winless and last placed Mauritania.

Chipolopolo heads into Sunday’s game hoping to reverse their 2-0 first leg loss to Equatorial Guinea they sustained in Malabo on October 7.

“We need that support from the fans; it is times like these that we need them the most when things are not going so well,” Lubambo said.

“We need that twelfth player to give us that motivation to push us forward.”

However, Chipolopolo’s Qatar race is looking grim.

A home victory tonight may not be enough to keep their Qatar dream alive.

Victory for Group B leaders Tunisia away in Mauritania tonight in Nouakchott will end their interest in the race.

Tunisia lead Group B on 9 points, Equatorial Guinea have 6 points, Zambia have 3 points while Mauritania have zero points with three  games left to play.

Meanwhile, Chipolopolo has been hit by a raft of suspensions and injuries with Leicester City striker Patson Daka and Zesco United midfielder Dickson Chapa out after accruing two yellow cards.

Kabwe Warriors midfielder Prince Mumba has a red card while Russian-based striker Evans Kangwa of Arsenal has failed to recover from a hamstring injury that he arrived with in camp.

Kangwa joins Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu on the sidelines who didn’t travel for the Group B doubleheader to recover from a groin injury.