Former Zambia midfielder Charles Musonda says Zambia’s 3–1 defeat to Algeria was a more competitive encounter than the other Group I fixture between Togo and Burundi but has warned the Chipolopolo against underestimating Togo ahead of Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Ndola.
“I watched Togo-Burundi. Algeria-Zambia was more competitive, but don’t take any team lightly. Football isn’t played on paper; it’s played on the pitch. 90 plus minutes,” he said.
Zambia suffered defeat to the Desert Foxes in their opening AFCON 2027 qualifier, while Togo began their campaign with a 1–0 victory over Burundi to collect three points.
The Chipolopolo will now be looking to bounce back when they host Togo at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Musonda believes Zambia showed encouraging attacking potential against Algeria, particularly with the number of players capable of finding the back of the net.
“It was interesting to see Zambia’s formation against Algeria. For the first time in a long time, I saw a team with four players capable of scoring,” Musonda said.
However, he believes Zambia missed the creativity of Greece-based midfielder Kings Kangwa, who was unavailable for the match.
The former midfielder also called for clarity and consistency in the goalkeeping department, urging the technical bench to identify and back its preferred goalkeeper.
“Decide who your No. 1 goalkeeper is and trust him. Even the best make mistakes. Confidence matters,” Musonda said.
Musonda believes Zambia have enough attacking options to pose a threat, citing Patson Daka, Lameck Banda and Albert Kangwanda, among others. However, he cautioned the players against prioritising individual success over the team’s objectives.
“The talent is there. But they should not be selfish in front of goal. It’s the team that scores, not an individual,” he said.
