Togo will attempt to overturn their poor record on Zambian soil when they face Zambia in the second matchday of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday.
The fixture will be the sixth meeting between the two nations, with Togo currently holding the overall advantage in their head-to-head record.
The previous five encounters have produced no draws, with both teams recording victories in the rivalry. The home side has also won whenever the two countries have met on their own territory.
That record gives Zambia a significant historical advantage ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, despite Togo having won more matches overall.
The latest encounter between the sides came in 2016, when Togo defeated Zambia in a friendly in Lomé.
It was the most recent chapter in a rivalry that has stretched across both World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaigns.
Before that meeting, the teams faced each other during the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup and in the combined 2006 Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.
Togo’s biggest victory in the rivalry came on 5 June 2005, when the Sparrowhawks defeated Zambia 4-1 in Lomé.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, Togo produced one of their most convincing performances against the Chipolopolo and secured a commanding victory.
The result came after Zambia had won the earlier meeting between the teams in Chililabombwe.
That match, played a year earlier, ended 1-0 in favour of Zambia.
The two sides then produced the same scoreline in both of their 2006 World Cup qualifying matches, with each team winning 1-0 at home.
The results highlight a recurring pattern in the fixture: the advantage has generally belonged to whichever side is playing in familiar surroundings.
Overall, Togo have won three of the five previous meetings against Zambia, giving the Sparrowhawks the edge in the head-to-head record.
However, they have yet to beat Zambia on Zambian soil.
That statistic will be central to Tuesday’s contest as Togo coach Patrice Neveu attempts to lead his side to a result that would overturn a long-standing pattern in the fixture.
For Neveu and his players, the match presents an opportunity to change the story of the rivalry away from home.
Zambia, meanwhile, will be looking to preserve the home advantage that has been a defining feature of previous meetings between the two countries.
The fixture comes on the second matchday of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, adding competitive significance to a rivalry that has already produced five meetings without a single draw.
Togo’s three victories give them the historical edge, but the Sparrowhawks’ failure to win in Zambia remains an important part of the record.
Whether that trend continues or Neveu’s side finally breaks it will be decided when the two teams meet on Tuesday.
Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm GMT, with Togo seeking to rewrite their history on Zambian soil and Zambia aiming to maintain a home advantage that has remained intact throughout their previous encounters.
