AFRICAN CHAMPIONS ARRIVE IN LUSAKA FOR CHIPOLOPOLO SHOWDOWN
African Champions Algeria have arrived in Lusaka ahead of this Thursday’s Cameroon 2021 African Cup Nations qualifier against Zambia.
The North African arrived at Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda international Airport on Tuesday night.
Algeria lead Group H on 10 points followed by Zimbabwe on 5 points while Botswana and Zambia are on 4 and 3 points respectively.
Earlier in the day Saudi Arabian based players
;Raïs M’bolhi (Al-Ettifaq), Azzedine Doukha (Al-Raed), Mehdi Tahrat (Abha Club), Hilal Soudani (Al-Fath FC), as well as the member of Al-Nasr (United Arab Emirates) Mehdi Abeid arrived in Lusaka directly from Miiddle East.
Though they are in the travelling part, Algeria coach Djamel Belhmendi will not play the following five players agianst Zambia Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City / England), Saïd Benrahma (West Ham / England), Aïssa Mandi ( Betis Seville / Spain), Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan / Italy), and Sofiane Feghouli (Galatasaray / Turkey).
But the five players will play against Botswana on Monday next week.
The Chipolopolo Boys will be looking to avenge the 5-1 defeat to Algeria on match day 1. The coach was Aggrey Chiyangi.
The 2012 African Cup of Nations Zambia handed Algeria back to back defeat in the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers under Wedson Nyirenda.
Zambia beat Algeria 3-1 before a 2-1 victory in Algiers in 2017 as the Chipolopolo finished second to Nigeria while Algeria bottom of the group.
