Algeria goalkeeper Rais M’bolhi has described the 2018 FIFA World Cup Group B two-way qualifier against Zambia as war after he was certified fit to travel for the first leg on September 2 in Lusaka.

The Algerian number one goalkeeper sustained a knock on club duty last Saturday in a French Ligue 1 match for Stade Rennes.

“There are no calculations to make, we will go to war in Zambia,” Mbolhi said during Algeria’s pre-departure media briefing in Algiers on Wednesday evening.

“We have to win if we want to hope for something. It’s going to be a big fight but we do not want to give up.”

The Fennecs are expected to arrive on Thursday evening on a chartered flight from Algiers as they mount a bid for a fifth FIFA World Cup appearance, and second in succession after reaching Brazil 2014.

Zambia and Algeria are tied on 1 point from two matches in 3rd and 4th place respectively.

They are a point behind 2nd placed Cameroon and a further five adrift of unbeaten Nigeria heading into match day three this weekend at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

Nigeria host Cameroon on Friday at Uyo.

The return leg is scheduled for September 5 in Constantine.