Zambia national team coach George Lwandamina says injuries and individual mistakes contributed to Zambia’s 3-1 defeat to Algeria in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium.
Lwandamina said Zambia fought until the final whistle in a difficult away fixture played before a vociferous 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.
The coach acknowledged that Zambia made a few mistakes which Algeria capitalised on, while injuries forced changes that disrupted his plans. “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.
Lwandamina, however, believes the young Chipolopolo side can recover from the setback, stressing the importance of collecting maximum points in home matches.
“Definitely, we need to win our home games if we are to qualify. Togo won’t have it easy,” he warned. He added that the team’s youthful squad is developing well and can improve with greater experience.
“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 acknowledged Algeria’s depth, attributing part of the hosts’ strength to their large player pool. “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.”
Chipolopolo will now shift focus to their next Group I assignment against Togo, with Zambia seeking to bounce back on home soil.
