Zambia Afcon fact box

Fact box on African Nations Cup qualifiers Zambia.

Previous appearances in finals: (16) 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013.

Best performance: Winners 2012

Drawn in Group B with the Cape Verde Islands, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tunisia.

Coach: Honour Janza

Zambia had to scramble for a coach just weeks before qualifying started in September when Patrice Beaumelle left to join compatriot Herve Renard with the Ivory Coast team.

Zambia turned to Janza, previously an assistant with the national team and the association’s technical director, to take over despite limited experience.

He was appointed ‘interim coach’ but has held onto the job since securing a Nations Cup finals place, even though Zambia failed to win in their first three group matches.

At club level his only coaching job was at local club Zesco United when they were in the second division.

Key player: Rainford Kalaba. Age: 28. Winger.

The diminutive winger is the new captain of the team after a clean-out of the majority of the players that helped Zambia to win the Nations Cup in 2012.

Made his debut as a teenager a decade ago but despite often being linked with a potential move to Europe only had a brief spell at Nice in France and Portugal.

This will be his sixth Nations Cup finals tournament appearance.

Fifa world ranking January 2015: 50

How they qualified: Second place team in Group F, behind Cape Verde Islands but ahead of Mozambique and Niger.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Daniel Munyau (Red Arrows), Kennedy Mweene (Mamelodi Sundowns), Joshua Titima (Power Dynamos)

Defenders: Donashano Malama (Nkana FC), Emmanuel Mbola (Hapoel Ra’anana), Christopher Munthali (Nkana FC), Patrick Ngoma (Red Arrows), Davies Nkausu (Bloemfontein Celtic), Stopilla Sunzu (Shanghai Shenhua)

Midfielders: Roderick Kabwe (Zanaco), Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe Englebert), Chisamba Lungu (Ural Yekaterinenburg), Kondwani Mtonga (Zesco United), Mukuka Mulenga (Bloemfontein Celtic), Bruce Musakanya (Red Arrows), Lubambo Musonda (FC Ulisses), Spencer Sautu (Green Eagles), Nathan Sinkala (Grasshoppers Zurich)

Forwards: Ronald Kampamba (Nkana), Evans Kangwa (Hapoel Ra’anana), Emmanuel Mayuka (Southampton), Jackson Mwanza (Zesco United), Given Singuluma (TP Mazembe Englebert).