FAZ has confirmed that China based striker Jacob Mulenga has rejected his recall to the Chipolopolo squad ahead of next month’s 2017 Africa Cup Group E qualifier away to Kenya.
Chipolopolo coach George Lwandamina has called 13 foreign based players for the September 6 match against the Harambee Stars of Kenya set for Nairobi.
FAZ spokesperson Nkweto Tembwe said Mulenga of Chinese club Shijiazhuang Yongchang is not available for the Kenya match.
“Jacob has telephoned the coach and asked that he be excused from this assignment” Tembwe said in a statement on Monday.
Mulenga, who has scored nine goals from 24 matches played for the fifth placed club, was widely expected to end a ten-month absence since playing in the Niger doubleheader last October of the 2015 Africa Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Lwandamina has expectedly recalled Mpumalanga Black Aces striker Collins Mbesuma with struggling Southampton striker Emmanuel Mayuka left out.
Mbesuma and Mulenga alongside former skipper Christopher Katongo were among the players discarded by former interim coach Honour Janza last year.
Meanwhile, Zambia, Kenya, Congo-Brazzaville and Guinea Bissau are tied on one point each heading into match day two of the qualifiers on September 6.
Chipolopolo kicked off the qualifiers with a scoreless home draw against Guinea Bissau.
Goalkeeper: Kennedy Mweene (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa)
Defenders: Stopilla Sunzu (Lille, France), Kabaso Chongo (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Emmanuel Mbola (Haopel Ra’anana, Israel), Aaron Katebe (Maghreb Tetoun, Morocco)
Midfielders: Rainford Kalaba, Nathan Sinkala (Both TP Mazembe, DRC), Kondwani Mtonga (NorthEast United, India), Lubambo Musonda (Gandzasar, Armenia), Chisamba Lungu (FC Ural, Russia)
Strikers: Ronald Kampamba (Wadi Degla, Egypt), Evans Kangwa ( Haopel Ra’anana, Israel), (Collins Mbesuma (Mpumalanga Black Aces, South Africa)
Did Jacob snub the call up, or did he ask to be excused?
Which is which? The two are different.
The team is full. So why even call any local player? Maybe only Danny Munyao and Isaac Chansa.
Even when a player has to attend a funeral, these reporters write “snub?”. They don’t like our players at all, always want do end others careers.
..Jacob was just being diplomatic when he called…..otherwise there is no excuse once you are called for national duty…unless you are injured…so ‘snub’ is just correct mates
Iwe Nostradamus,
How many funerals is Jacob going to attend. This guy is bitter because he was dropped last time. He wants someone to kiss his ass.
I don’t discuss personalities.