Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president, Andrew Kamanga, believes the Chipolopolo have a chance to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Cameroon.

He said this in his weekly column published on FAZ website ahead of Zambia’s home AFCON qualifying match against already qualified Algeria. Zambia will also travel to face Zimbabwe four days later.

“We have an important assignment this week at National Heroes Stadium where the Chipolopolo host Algeria in a Group H Cameroon 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Our standing in that group is not pleasing but with victories over Algeria and Zimbabwe we can finish among the top two qualifiers for the AFCON.

“We have pulled all the stops to ensure that we give the team a conducive preparatory environment even under the Covid-19 strained environment. While the planned international friendly match against Sierra Leone did not materialize, we are conscious that it was always going to be hard to play international friendly matches in this Covid-19 restricted environment. The coach has also had to wait upon foreign based players whose availability is tied to contractual and FIFA regulations,” Kamanga said.

Zambia are at the bottom of Group H with a paltry three points from four games.

Botswana have four points from four games on position three, behind second-placed Zimbabwe’s five points.

Algeria top the pile with 10 points.