Former Zambia defender Billy Mwanza has cautioned the Chipolopolo against underestimating Burundi ahead of Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group I qualifier at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Zambia will host the East Africans in the first of two back-to-back encounters, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00.

The Chipolopolo head into the fixture with three points from their opening two matches, while Burundi have one point following their draw against Algeria.

Mwanza, speaking exclusively to BolaNews, said Zambia must treat the encounter as a must-win but warned that Burundi should not be taken lightly.

“We are playing at home, it’s a must-win encounter. I am sure the technical bench is doing everything possible so that we can win the game on Friday, but we must also bear in mind that Burundi is not a pushover,” Mwanza said.

He noted that teams Zambia previously dominated had improved, urging the players to approach the match with the seriousness it deserves.

“The teams we used to beat in the past have improved, so we must not underrate them,” he said.

Mwanza believes victory in Ndola would provide the Chipolopolo with confidence heading into the return fixture, given the short period between the two matches.

“And we are playing back-to-back. The win at home will give us more confidence,” he said.

Mwanza, who is now Power Dynamos physical trainers, also emphasized the importance of keeping a clean sheet and scoring more goals, saying a convincing result could strengthen Zambia’s position in the group.

“Yes, we need a clean sheet. We also need to score more goals; it will help us in our group,” Mwanza said.