Zambia need just a point to ensure their qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as they prepare to take on co-hosts Equatorial Guinea in their final Group A clash in Malabo on Sunday.

Chipolopolo have been one of the star performers in the tournament to date and might have already secured their passage into the knockout stages had they finished off Libya in their last game. The teams drew 2-2.

But as coach Herve Renard says, they are at least happy that their destiny remains in their own hands as they match up against the already-qualified Equatorial Guinea side.

And the Frenchman says their aim is to win their final group game and finish top of the pool, and in so doing a potential meeting with Cote d'Ivoire in the next round.

"The target is still to finish first. We have the card in our hands. It is better to have the card in your hands than give it to someone," Renard says.

Zambia could also progress in defeat, if Libya fail to beat ousted Senegal in their last pool game.

After the fine opening day win over Senegal and another good performance against Libya in their second game, confidence in the Zambian camp is high, according to midfielder Isaac Chansa.

"It is tough but we still believe in ourselves," Chansa said. "We still believe we will do better in the match [against Equatorial Guinea] but obviously we have a couple of days to prepare and we will prepare for it very well."

Equatorial Guinea coach Gilson Paulo has been talking up his side's chances ahead of the game, suggesting it would be "unacceptable" to lose to a side he believes are the weakest team in the pool.

Whether he genuinely believes that or is trying to rile the Zambians only he knows, but after wins over Libya and Senegal he perhaps deserves to be bullish.

On paper, Zambia should be too strong for their hosts, but the Malabo crowd is likely to be vociferous in their support, seeing their side for the first time in this competition after their opening games were played in Bata.

Defeat would not be disastrous for Paulo, but he will want to maintain the momentum that his side have built up and, like Zambia, avoid the threat of Cote d'Ivoire in the quarterfinals.