ZAMBIA'S assistant coach Moses Sichone has expressed his expectations of a tough match against Niger in their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Speaking ahead of the game, Sichone acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead but remained confident in his team's ability to secure victory. "We know that the game against Niger won't be easy," he admitted. "But we've been working hard to rectify the mistakes we made in our first match against Congo, and we're determined to get maximum points from this game." Sichone also confirmed that skipper Lubambo Musonda is back in the squad after recovering from injury. However, Sweden-based midfielder Edward Chilufya will be unavailable due to illness. "Unfortunately, we have only one absentee, Edward Chilufya," Sichone explained. "He's remained back home due to sickness. We're not entirely sure of the nature of his illness, but we're grateful that Lubambo, our captain, is back in the team." Sichone took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support. "We saw what happened in Ndola," he said. "The team did well with the support from our fans, and we hope that the fans back home will do the same in tomorrow's game." The Chipolopolo will face Niger on Tuesday at the Grand Stade Marrakech in Marrakech, Morocco. The match is scheduled to kick off at 21:00 hours (Zambian time). Zambia currently tops Group E of the qualifiers and will be looking to maintain their position after Tuesday's round of matches. Morocco will take on Tanzania away in Dare salaam, while Congo will be off duty following Eritrea's withdrawal from the competition.