Zambia are looking for a critical away result on Wednesday when they face Sudan in a 2018 World Cup second round, first leg qualifier in Karima.
George Lwandamina’s side must avoid a loss at all costs to take into Sunday’s final leg decider in Ndola to avoid any pressure at home or their interest in the 2018 qualifiers might end this weekend at the preliminary stage.
Winner over both legs will advance to the final group stage qualifying phase where Africa’s five representatives in Russia in two years time will be decided.
“Every game comes with its own situation and its own challenges we can’t rely on past experience we just have to work hard,” Lwandamina said.
“The players know the importance of this game and that is motivation enough for them, they know the objective.”
This is Zambia’s first competitive game back in Sudan since June, 2012 when the two sides met in another World Cup qualifier that left bitter memories for the hosts.
Sudan beat Zambia 2-0 at home in Khartoum in that 2014 World Cup Group 4 qualifier but were docked the victory and the 3 points handed to Chipolopolo after the hosts had fielded a suspended player.
The hosts will certainly be looking to rewrite that episode knowing very well their good home record against Zambia in World Cup qualifiers where they remain unbeaten on the pitch in three meetings despite that boardroom decision.
Meanwhile, the pressure is also on Zambia to win away who have a poor reputation in away matches and have had to make one extra hop by air from Khartoum to the match venue in Karima which is 400 kilometers norther of the Sudanese capital.
Furthermore, Zambia must show character as they did away against Kenya in that come-from-behind 2-1 win in September and overcome their common psychological block that has seen them lose away after arriving at the eleventh hour as evident in Ghana and Cape Verde in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
On team news, Collins Mbesuma, Rainford Kalaba, Stopilla Sunzu and goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene are the reassuring names to have made the trip but Chisamba Lungu and is still at his Russian base with his availability still unknown for Sundays return leg while defender Christopher Munthali was cut from the team prior to departure.
We can never qualify for world becoz we are a stu..pid nation.The last world cup qualifier was the most and easiest of all.Gifted with 3 points but only to go and draw in Lesotho.Had we won we would have had no pressure in the last game against Ghana.whether lose or win was not going to affect us.I repeat, we are a foo…lish nation and we will never qualify.
Only fools think like u. u must be a foolish poor Zambian (FPZ)
Let pipo with positive mind support Zambia National Soccer Team Chipolopolo
U must b a F**lish Person in Zambia (FPZ) ndeloleshafye coz only f**ls think like u.
Letr positive pipo support Chipolopolo boys.
ndeloleshafye, I thought you had grown up by now. Didn’t your primary school teacher show you how and when to use the word NEVER? Or maybe you are an educated illiterate suffering from inferiority complex with a strong affinity for negativity? Don’t classify the whole nation as vipuba out of your petty emotions, chipuba ndiwe. Apparently, you are even failing to grasp your own reasoning… what a hopeless human being!
Comment:Ndeloleshafye is a serious ass hole whose thinking can only be likened to a cocroach..Go to the hosp and get treated of that swollen testicle i know it’s contributing to yr bitterness on everything..
Comment: walitumpa sana i we puushi. Go zambia go
zambia you need to start with a good result before you meet ghana
wechi sushi iwe chindeloleshafye{ banchot}thats a hindi word find out the meaning
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so did they win? it was 1 nil to chipolopolo in the 90+ min?? good on them..finally jumping the sudan hurdle in the hot climate.