Patson Daka Issues Rallying Call Ahead of Algeria Showdown

Chipolopolo striker Paston Daka has issued a rallying call to the team ahead of Thursday’s must-win 2021 AFCON penultimate Group H home qualifier against defending Algeria.

Patson, of Austrian champions RB Salzburg, arrived in camp on Monday together with his club-mate and midfielder Enock Mwepu.

Others that arrived on Monday are South African-based midfielders Roderick Kabwe and Augustine Mulenga of Black Leopards and Amazulu respectively together with Lubambo Musonda of Slask Wroclaw in Poland to complete the team after the other foreign-based call-ups trickled in from Wednesday through to Sunday.

“We have a 100 percent chance because we have two games to play and we need victories in both matches and that is what we want to achieve,”Patson said.

“So we know that it is a do-or-die game and we have to make sure that we focus on Algeria right now because it is the first challenge that we have and then we will look at the next challenge.”

Zambia must win their last two Group H qualifiers against Algeria in Lusaka on March 25 and away in Zimbabwe on March 29 and then beat the odds to finish in the top two.

Chipolopolo are bottom of Group H on 3 points, one point behind third placed Botswana who host number two side Zimbabwe also on Thursday.

Zimbabwe have 5 points while leaders Algeria are on 10 points and have qualified with two games in hand with their only interest now just to confirm their final top two qualifying spot classification.

Meanwhile, Zambia will be without striker Justin Shonga of Cape Town City FC in South Africa and Belgium-based striker Fashion Sakala of KV Oostende who are both injured.