Zambia have lost their most potent attacking weapon but remain hopeful of a place in the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup.
The 2012 winners must beat Cape Verde in their final Group B match in Ebebiyín on Monday and then hope Tunisia take at least a point off DR Congo in the other game in Bata.
Both results are possible, though Zambia are hampered by the loss of star striker Emmanuel Mayuka, who is ruled out with a double groin injury that means he will miss the remainder of the tournament should Chipolopolo progress.
Mayuka hurt himself on Thursday when Zambia lost their second group game in Ebibeyin to Tunisia.
It followed a knee injury to key midfielder Nathan Sinkala in their first game - a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo - that ruled the Grasshoppers Zurich player out of the rest of the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
Still, coach Honor Janza remains positive that the side can lift themselves off the bottom of the group and into the top two.
"We will not be banking on who wins who, but our strength will be to win the last match," Janza told reporters. "So I think if we can win the last match then we can go to the table and check what will happen after that.
"We are still breathing, we are still in existence, so we will do our homework where the team made some lapses, we will improve on that so that we still maintain our status and we want to come out of the group as one of the best two."
Zambia's defeat to Tunisia ended a run of five consecutive draws at the Nations Cup. Nothing short of a win will be good enough this time round.
Cape Verde coach Rui Aguas says his side are looking beyond even the quarter-finals this year and must also win to be sure of a place in the next round, though a draw would be good enough if Tunisia defeat DR Congo.
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If both games end in a draw then it could come down to goals scored over who finishes second in the pool between Cape Verde and DR Congo, and if that remains even then lots will be drawn to decide who goes through.
"We will try everything we can, of course. We have everything in our own hands. What we want to achieve is to do better than we did last time. The minimum objective is to get to the next phase," Cape Verde coach Rui Aguas told reporters.
The islanders have netted just four goals in their six Nations Cup matches to date and only one so far in this year's competition. It remains a worry for Aguas.
"Finishing has been a problem for us but we have played two very good games so far. I think we have discovered that we can do better than we have and reach the next round.
"It has been frustrating and disappointing not to have won and but missing chances means we have just made it more difficult for ourselves. I believe we can do better and score finally in the third game."
Zambia and Cape Verde also met in the qualifying tournament for these finals, with each recording home wins.
