Kalaba: It is redemption time for Zambia

Zambia captain, Rainford Kalaba, has issued a rallying call for the team to redeem themselves with victory in their opening Group K qualifier on Saturday at home against Mozambique at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

The 2012 champions failed to qualify for 2017 tournament on Kalaba's watch, something the TP Mazembe midfielder is desperate to erase.

“We didn't go to Africa Cup of Nations the last time and this is an opportunity to go to the 2019 tournament,” the 30-year captain said.

“I think we have rested a lot, now we are back to business. We are hoping for a good start because this is another challenge,” he added.

Memories of the Chipolopolo’s poor start to the 2017 qualifiers when they were held to a  0-0 draw by Guinea Bissau in what was a prelude of things to come in their failed qualification to the Gabon finals are still fresh on Kalaba’s mind.

“It is a must win for us because we want to start the qualifiers on a high note,” Kalaba said.

“We have forgotten about what happened last year. We are united and the atmosphere in the team is good. The guys are happy and pushing each other in training.

“I expect everyone to put in 100 per cent so that we can go to the AFCON in Cameroon,” he observed.

Kalaba remarked that their junior compatriots’ recent success with the 2017 U-20 AFCON triumph on home soil last March and 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup quarterfinal debut, has put pressure on the seniors to stand up and be counted.

And there are no injury concerns although Kalaba's club-mate Nathan Sinkala was not selected for what Zambia coach Wedson Nyirenda has described as tactical reasons.

However, another Kabala playing mate with the DR Congo giants, Given Singuluma is back in the team after a two-year hiatus.

The nimble-footed Kalaba has also warned that their unbeaten record against Mozambique should not lead to complacency.

“They also want to go to the AFCON so they are no easy games. We will respect them but this is our home ground we need to get maximum points,” the Zambia captain concluded.

Fixtures

Group A

9.06.2017      Obeid            Sudan vs Madagascar

10.06.2017    Dakar            Senegal vs Equatorial Guinea

Group B

10.06.2017    Yaounde        Cameroon vs Morocco

10.06.2017    Lilongwe        Malawi vs Comoros

Group C

10.06.2017    Bamako         Mali vs Gabon

10.06.2017    Bujumbura    Burundi vs South Sudan

Group D

11.06.2017    Blida              Algeria vs Togo

11.06.2017    Cotonou         Benin vs Gambia

Group E

9.06.2017      Cairo             Libya vs Seychelles

10.06.2017    Uyo               Nigeria vs South Africa

Group F

10.06.2017    Freetown       Sierra Leone vs Kenya

11.06.2017    Kumasi          Ghana vs Ethiopia

Group G

10.06.2017    Kinshasa        DR Congo vs Congo

11.06.2017    Harare           Zimbabwe vs Liberia

Group H

10.06.2017    Bouake          Cote d’Ivoire vs Guinea

11.06.2017    Bangui           Central African Rep. vs Rwanda

Group I

10.06.2017    Ouagadougou Burkina Faso vs Angola

10.06.2017    Francistown   Botswana vs Mauritania

Group J

10.06.2017    Niamey          Niger vs Swaziland

11.06.2017    Tunis             Tunisia vs Egypt

Group K

10.06.2017    Ndola            Zambia vs Mozambique

10.06.2017    Bissau           Guinea Bissau vs Namibia

Group L

10.06.2017    Praia                        Cape Verde vs Uganda

10.06.2017    Dar es Salaam          Tanzania vs Lesotho