Zambia captain Fashion Sakala says Chipolopolo are determined to bounce back from their defeat by Algeria and insists they will “definitely win” against Togo in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Zambia suffered a 3-1 defeat away to Algeria in their opening Group I fixture on Friday, leaving George Lwandamina’s side under pressure to collect maximum points when they host Togo at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Speaking at Monday’s pre-match press conference, Sakala struck a confident tone, promising supporters a fired-up Zambia side.
“The team is ready; we are ready to fight in tomorrow’s game. The confidence and the motivation that we have in the team is very high,” Sakala said.
“We understand we lost against Algeria. That was an away game and they had their fans at home.
“If we want to qualify, we have to win this game. We will definitely win tomorrow, no doubt about it. We will try to give our best. Everyone will see a very different game tomorrow. I am very confident about that.”
The result against Togo will be particularly important for Zambia as they look to recover from their opening defeat and begin building momentum in a group that also includes Algeria and Burundi.
Sakala believes home advantage can play a significant role, with the Chipolopolo skipper expecting strong support from the Zambian crowd.
“It is a very important game because we are playing at home with fans behind us. I know that definitely the stadium will be full,” he said.
“Zambian people have never disappointed us when it comes to support.”
Sakala unfazed by criticism
The Al-Fayha forward also addressed criticism of his individual performances, saying his experience at the highest level has taught him to deal with scrutiny.
“Criticism on me as an individual, I don’t really pay attention to that,” Sakala said.
“I think I have been playing football for many years. I am going in my 13th year at this level and that should show that there has been a lot of hard work and commitment behind the scenes.
“I think people will criticise me, but they should also see how long I have been in the game. I have tried my best. I do not like to talk about myself; I prefer to talk about the team, but since this question is about me, I will answer it.”
Sakala added that the criticism has helped strengthen his resolve.
“It has built me. It has given me courage and confidence to work hard for each and every game,” he said.
“To be honest, I am very proud of myself, looking at where I am coming from to where I am. It shows that I have really worked very hard.”
Zambia face Togo on Tuesday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00.
Tickets are available through the FAZ TechPay platform, priced at K50 for the North, South and East stands, K250 for the West stand and K500 for VIP.
