A year after becoming African champions, Zambia's team returns to the Africa Cup of Nations, albeit with a string of unconvincing performances in qualifying matches.

Zambia needed penalties to get past Uganda in order to play in South Africa and lost 2-0 to Sudan in its first World Cup qualifying match.

It only picked up three points after FIFA penalized for using an ineligible player.

In South Africa, coach Hervé Renard is looking to recreate the spirit that led the team to perform above its typical level in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

In his favour is the fact that many of his players were available several weeks ahead of the tournament.

And star player, Emmanuel Mayuka's move to the English Premiership side Southampton should see him fired up.

This means that he has been able to drill the team to the level that will make them a formidable foe for any opponent●