After their six-goal thriller against Congo Brazzaville in their first Group E match last Friday, the Chipolopolo Boys are back in action this evening.
They will face Niger in their second group match of the qualifiers.
The Chipolopolo defeated Congo 4-2 thanks to a Patson Daka brace and a goal each from Lameck Banda and Fashion Sakala.
Meanwhile, Kalaba, who was part of the AFCON 2012 winning team, told BolaNews in an exclusive interview that a win tonight against Niger will make things easier for the Chipolopolo Boys in the qualifiers.
“Winning two games in a row will make things easier because having six points is a big advantage before starting the return matches,” he said.
“Football in Africa is not easy. But if the boys can get a win away from home, it will be a huge morale booster.”
Niger seeking first win against Chipolopolo
Niger heads into this fixture tonight looking for their first-ever win against Zambia. They are also coming off a 1-0 loss to Tanzania and will seek redemption.
Grant will look to his star-studded squad, particularly the front three, to get him the goals he needs while keeping abreast of the defensive woes that saw the Copper Bullets concede twice on home soil.
Zambia has been boosted by the return of captain Lubambo Musonda, who was injured in the first game.
READ MORE: Grant in goalkeeper dilemma ahead of Niger clash
The skipper is equally optimistic that the Chipolopolo will carry the day.
“The team is ready; it is in high spirits. You could see that even when we played our last game, we wanted to win and have been working hard and putting in all the work,” he said during a pre-match preview.”
