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Zambia FA Boss Tags Clash with Eagles a ‘Do or Die’ Affair

President of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), Andrew Kamanga, has tagged the Match day 5 FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifier with the Super Eagles on October 7 in Uyo as a ‘do or die’ encounter for the Chipolopolo.
Zambia has seven points compared to the Super Eagles superior haul of 10 points from the first four matches of  Group B fixtures.
Speaking at the weekend, Kamanga was quoted by Fazfootball.com, to have drummed his position into the players that they dare not drop any point in the fixture against Nigeria in the Akwa Ibom State capital.
“We are putting in every effort to make sure that this team is adequately prepared as we face Nigeria. For me is a do or die game as whoever wins that game will be assured of going to Russia 2018 World Cup,” Kamanga restated in his directive to the players
The Chipolopolo have suddenly found their voices after successive victories over Algeria in a spate of four days to narrow the gap separating them and Nigeria to just three points.
This perhaps must have informed the decision of FAZ to be toying with the idea of pitching a camp in Europe to prepare the team for the must win clash in Uyo.
Kamanga, said at the weekend that it would be much easier to prepare in Europe where some of the national team players ply their trade.
The Zambian FA boss believes that the return flight to Europe will also be shorter and more convenient for the players from Nigeria after the match.
“We have only got four weeks before the Nigeria game, so we are looking at options in terms of where we can camp the team and get the best value.
“As you know some of the players are already in Europe, they did not return with us to Zambia from Algeria. They have gone back to their clubs. We may see it fit to camp the team in Europe so that it is easier to prepare adequately and it is actually shorter to go into Europe from Nigeria,” Kamanga stressed.
He said that FAZ would not leave any stone unturned to ensure victory for Zambia, coached by Wedson Nyirenda, ahead of their last fixture in November against Cameroon in Yaounde.
Zambia, the winners of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012, is the only Group B team that has never been to the FIFA World Cup final and will be motivated to foil Nigeria’s aspiration to secure their sixth World Cup ticket.
The team has a crop of experienced players led by goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, Stoppilla Sunzu and Chisamba Lungu, mixed with five members of the Under-20 team that reached the quarter final of FIFA Under-20 World Cup in South Korea.
Meanwhile, the country’s opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema, has hailed Zambia’s 1-0 win away to Algeria as remarkable and historic.
Hichilema of United Party for National Development, congratulated the team, the technical bench and FAZ officials for working towards the success.
 “What a remarkable and historic victory by our Chipolopolo boys against Algeria,” he said after a dramatic night for Zambia.
It was the first time Zambia beat Algeria in World Cup pairings.
“It was exciting watching this game where history has been made as I think it has been over 30 years since we last beat Algeria at their home ground if my memory serves me right.
“Our boys need all the support especially that the group we are in has some of the highly rated teams in Africa,” he said.

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