Zambia and Congo get the action underway in Group E of the World Cup qualifiers when they go head to head at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Friday.
The Red Devils head into the weekend off the back of another disappointing Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign and will look to get their quest for a first World Cup appearance off on the right foot.
Zambia wrapped up their friendly schedule for the year on October 17 when they cruised to a resounding 3-0 victory over Uganda at the Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium.
Leicester City man PatsonDaka turned in a performance of the highest quality as he scored either side of Fashion Sakala‘s 63rd-minute strike to hand the Cranes their fourth defeat in five games.
With the victory over Uganda, Avram Grant‘s men have now gone unbeaten in six of their last seven matches across all competitions, a run which saw them clinch a record-extending seventh COSAFA Cup title in July.
Zambia also ended their six-year absence from the Africa Cup of Nations as they eased through the qualifiers, racking up 13 points from six matches to finish first in Group H, edging out runners-up Ivory Coast to the top spot on goal difference.
The 2012 AFCON champions now return home, where they have won each of their last four matches in the last two years, stretching back to a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in the World Cup qualifiers back in 2021.
Ranked 81st in the latest FIFA World Rankings, Zambia will look to continue their impressive run of results on home soil as they look to begin their quest for a maiden World Cup appearance in 2026 on a high.
The Chipolopolo came close in 2006, when they finished just four points behind Togo in Group 1 of the qualifiers, and in 2018 when they fell short in the third and final qualifying round, where they finished as runners-up to B winners Nigeria.
Another underwhelming qualifying campaign dashed Congo’s dreams of participating in the 2023 AFCON as they finished third in Group G, three points behind runners-up Gambia.
Congo, whose last appearance in the biannual tournament came back in 2015 when they reached the quarter-finals, managed just two wins in their six matches while picking up one draw and losing three.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
