By MICHAEL MIYOBA
Patson Daka showing his shooting skills during yesterday’s training. Picture courtesy of FAZ as Zambia, Equatorial Guinea face off in World Cup qualifier.
EQUATORIAL Guinea will today seek revenge when they host Zambia in Group B of Africa’s 2022 World Cup qualifier at Estadio de Malabo.
Equatorial Guinea last met Zambia in 2012 in a match which Zambia won1-0 thanks to Chris Katongo’s lone strike in an Afcon group stage match in Malabo.
The Chipolopolo went on to win that Afcon tournament after beating Equatorial Guinea in the group stage on home soil.
Equatorial Guinea will aim to maintain a perfect run after beating Mauritania 1-0 in their last World Cup qualifier.
The hosts opened their group stage campaign with a mixed pair of results last month, suffering a 3-0 loss away to heavyweights Tunisia before their home win over Mauritania.
The results left them in third place on the log on three points, on par with the Chipolopolo who are seeking to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Tunisia last month.
The Chipolopolo go into today’s game with a lot of pressure to pick a win following their disappointing home loss to Tunisia.
The Chipolopolo had started the qualifiers on a positive note with a 2-1 away win over Mauritania before the home loss at the hands of the Carthage Eagles, who top the group with six points.
Motivated by the return of Patson Daka, Oach Beston Chambeshi’s charges are the favourite to triumph in Malabo.
Despite missing the services of star players, Enock Mwepu and Evans Kangwa who have been ruled out because of injury, Chambeshi is confident of victory.
Chambeshi who will also be without the Swedish duo of Emmanuel Banda and Edward Chilufya will look to Cletus Chama to replace Mwepu while Brian Mwila or Moses Phiri may feature in the absence of Evans Kangwa.
Meanwhile Equatorial Guinea manager Juan Micha will be hoping to make the most of home advantage, but will have to do so without the services of Pedro Obiang, who is struggling with a lung condition that has ruled him out of the game.
In the other Group B match scheduled for today, Group B leaders Tunisia host Mauritania in Rades.
