Chipolopolo on Thursday arrive at the crossroads of their 2022 AFCON qualifying quest when they host Botswana in a must-win Group H qualifier at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
Zambia, who have missed the last two AFCON’s, are currently in the midst of a bruising battle to ensure they will not miss an unprecedented third outing.
With two games played and four to go, Chipolopolo are last on zero points heading into their Group H doubleheader against Botswana who are third with 1 point.
This is after losing 5-0 away to Group H leaders Algeria, who have maximum 6 points, and going down 2-1 at home to second placed Zimbabwe, who have 4 points, exactly a year ago last November.
And so, Chipolopolo must pick up maximum 6 points over the next two games starting this Thursday and on November 16 away in Francistown.
The fixtures are critical for Zambia to gather some momentum for next March’s defining dates against their Group H tormentors Algeria at home and in the final game away to Zimbabwe that will both come in a five-day spell.
But management has changed since those forgettable November 2019 fixtures with interim coach Aggrey Chiyangi replaced by Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic who was appointed last February.
The Botswana match will be Micho’s competitive debut after six friendlies in charge in which he has won five and lost one.
However, Micho will be without key striker Patson Daka due to injury but the good news is his club mate at Austrian champions RB Salzburg has made it at the eleventh hour after four days of uncertainty over their Covid-19 lockdown tests at the club.
“I am here and motivated for tomorrow’s game. For me I am always a positive guy and I had hope that maybe the club might change their minds so I kept praying about it and in the end it happened . I was motivated, I never unpacked my bags, I was already like I would start off anytime,” Mwepu said on Wednesday in Lusaka.
“So I am here, and ready for the game tomorrow. It means everything you know I am proud to represent Zambia at this level and I am really motivated looking at what we have achieved so far at club level going into tomorrow’s game we know.
“We have lost points in the previous two games and tomorrow is a must-win. I just pray that we give our best. Everybody should be ready for it and we just play according to what coach Micho wants.
“I think we are going to win tomorrow.”
Micho don’t need those 2 Power Rangers slim defenders on the left and right. Both ka Chilongoshi and friend are good, but never score. Use those spaces for overraping players. Kelvin Mubanga ku left, then Lubambo ku right.
These players can score:
1. Mwange (best goalie on block)
2. Mubanga will score, and he is a workholic
3. Lubambo is obvious the best Zambian player
4. Benson, so mature, who knew he can be best center back?
5. Tandi Mwape, I never seen him make mistake
6. Kings Kamgwa, is slow but got good passes.
7. Augustine, that is a tornado… he got speed.
8. Mwepu, he will be the team heart. He will help Kangwa. That boy is indeed a computer.
9. Shonga, if he pull his shorts up from the knees then he may play. Give him chance to redeem himself, but Chabula is way…
LT give us the list of players in camp please. It makes reading exciting.