Chipolopolo return to action on Friday just 48 hours after beating Malawi when they travel to Kenya in what coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has described as the biggest test of his rather early nine-month reign.
Two-wins-out -of-two for Micho since his appointment in March with back-to-back 1-0 score line friendly wins over Malawi, Micho heads for his third game in charge and debut away fixture.
Micho has been restricted to two matches since his appointment in February due to the Covid-19 lockdown that came into place just a week after his March 12 first meeting against Malawi at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
The Kenya game, on October 9 in Nairobi, will come two days after Micho’s home-based team beat a full-strength Malawi at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
Friday’s friendly will also be the first time Micho will preside over his foreign legion.
Micho said at least three members from Wednesdays’ game will join the eight foreign-based call-ups in starting XI in Nairobi.
“What is good is we need to keep up and upgrade, and what is wrong we need to drastically correct, because against Victor Wanyama and Kenyans, we shall have a huge test of character and measurement of value and we need to drastically to improve our output on the field of play,” Micho said.
The match will be the penultimate friendly before facing South Africa in Rustenburg this Sunday while the local call-ups will later play Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns in unofficial practice matches on Monday and Tuesday before returning home.
“There are four steps more to go, one step is behind us and we live under the philosophy that, when it is good and you win, do not fly to high because football can humble you but when it is bad, do not give up so we are looking forward to the match against Kenya,” Micho said.
Meanwhile, one highlight of Friday’s late afternoon kickoff (16h00 Zambian time) will also mark 2017 U20 AFCON winner Edward Chilufya’s debut.
The midfielder from Swedish club Djurgarden has been restricted to the junior ranks over the last three years and will be reunited with ex-junior team mate and striker Fashion Sakala who has been a senior mainstay during that gap.
Very poor kind of reporting. You are giving news about Chipolopolo, why not mention the names of players in camp. Grow up LT. Good luck boys we are behind you not aba ba LT.