Leicester City striker Patson Daka and Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu are backing Chipolopolo to shine without them in Tuesday’s 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup Group B home qualifier against Tunisia.
The EPL-based duo featured in Fridays opening Group B away game against Mauritania that Zambia won 2-1 in which Mwepu gave Chipolopolo a 1-0 halftime lead in Nouakchott.
But Mwepu and Patson will miss Tuesday’s date to avoid the possibility of undergoing ten-day quarantine when they re-enter the UK from Zambia which is on the Covid-19 Red-Listed nations.
“I know it is a burden for the fans who will think Enock Mwepu and Patson won’t be there. What I want to tell them is that we have a team that is united and still stand in the absence of others. We will be together in spirit, and I believe that they will get a win and we will push forward,” Mwepu said.
Patson too echoed his Chipolopolo teammate’s feelings over their absence.
“We may not be there physically but spiritually we will be there with them, we will be supporting them, we will be praying for them,” Patson said.
“And to the fans, we say they should continue to believe and supporting us, they are the ones who keep us going. We appreciate their support that they always give us.”
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo landed in Ndola on Sunday morning on a chartered flight from Mauritania ahead of the September 7 match-day-two Group B date against Tunisia at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Tunisia, who beat Equatorial Guinea 3-0 at home in Rades on September 3, lead Group B tied on points with second placed Zambia.
Both the previous corrupt government and the new Dawn government are not paying attention to the COVID-19 situation. If we’re still in Red why open Bars?
Talking about covid I’m sure how this works for Zambia to be marked red for Corona virus which has 1630 while the UK recorded more than 37,000 cases yesterday.
The VIRUS is not a semantic issue, not is it a joke. It is a science based human health issue. The fact that it has continuously mutated into more aggressive variants especially in those parts of the globe where effective vaccines are absent dictates mitigating measures such as quarantine. There is nothing sinister about that.Much of Africa, India and South America fall into the red listed category. Our leaders must allign with transparent scientific companies such as Pfizer instead of unproven vaccines from the communists. What were they experimenting in Huan when the virus escaped? They have the cure too? Good luck on the quest to Quatar . We owe Godfrey Chitalu and his boys the best tribute by finishing their journey to the World Cup. God bless!
EPL is controlling, FIFA should have allowed this to happen. Playing for your country is a national duty. EPL should restrict players from playing for their country. The COVID PANDEMIC in UK is worse than some of the countries listed as red!
Will Shonga be there. Maybe there might be some hope. But I’m not hopeful. The duo choose weekly allowance from their EPL clubs over national duty. Thanks Mwepu & Patson for abandoning us. I guess money comes first over anything. Just changed my bola be to 2.