Zambia coach George Lwandamina says his side must quickly move on from their 3-1 defeat by Algeria and focus on their next 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo.
The Chipolopolo opened their Group I campaign with a defeat at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium, with Lwandamina attributing the result partly to injuries and individual errors.
Despite the setback, the Zambia coach praised his players for continuing to compete until the final whistle in a difficult away fixture played in front of a passionate home crowd.
“It was a tough match and the boys played well. Away from home, it wasn’t easy for them, but they fought to the bitter end,” Lwandamina said.
Zambia were unable to prevent Algeria from taking advantage of mistakes during the match, while injuries also forced Lwandamina to make changes he had not originally planned.
The coach believes those disruptions had an impact on the outcome as Algeria took control of the contest.
“Few mistakes, of course, and we were punished. Injuries also affected us. We had to make changes which we wouldn’t have made, and that cost us the game,” he said.
The result leaves Zambia needing a response in their next qualifying fixture, with the team now preparing for a home meeting with Togo.
Lwandamina stressed that victories on home soil will be particularly important if Zambia are to maintain their hopes of reaching the 2027 AFCON.
“Definitely, we need to win our home games if we are to qualify. Togo won’t have it easy,” he warned.
The Zambia coach also expressed confidence in his young squad despite the difficult opening result.
He believes the team’s players are adapting well and can continue to develop as they gain more experience at international level.
“This is a young team and they are coping very well. We can actually change the tables. The boys are fighting very hard and, with a little bit of experience in the team, I’m sure we’ll be able to bring them together.”
Lwandamina also recognised the strength of the Algerian squad, pointing to the depth of players available to the hosts.
Algeria’s large player pool, he suggested, gives the country considerable options when selecting its national teams.
“Algeria enjoyed their game. They played well. Algeria has a new team, mind you, Algeria is one of the big countries in the world, so the population is very big and you have more options of players out there. You can even make 10 teams here in Algeria.”
For Zambia, however, attention is now firmly on the next challenge.
The Chipolopolo will return to home territory for their Group I encounter with Togo, where they will attempt to respond to their opening defeat.
Lwandamina’s side will be looking to turn the disappointment in Algeria into motivation as they continue their qualifying campaign.
The coach’s emphasis on winning at home reflects the importance of the upcoming fixture, with Zambia seeking the maximum points needed to keep their qualification campaign on track.
After being beaten 3-1 in their opening match, the Chipolopolo now have an opportunity to respond against Togo and begin building momentum in Group I.
For a young Zambia side, the match will also provide another chance to gain valuable international experience as they attempt to recover from their difficult start.
