Chipolopolo first choice goalkeeper, Lawrence Mulenga, says their main target for playing in the qualifiers is to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco.
The last time Zambia, a team led by former Ghana coach Avram Grant' made it to straight AFCON's was between 2006 and 2015 when they qualified to six consecutive tournaments, one of which they ended up winning.
Zambia missed out on the 2017, 2019 and 2019 editions of the AFCON before bouncing back at the 2023, played in the 2024 edition in Ivory Coast.
However, they have a chance to make a back-to-back qualification as they sit second in Group G with seven points, two behind leaders Ivory Coast while Sierra Leone and Chad are on four and two points, respectively.
To qualify again, Avram Grant and his charges will need to rack-up positive results in this month’s back-to-back matches at home against Ivory Coast on November 15 and away to Sierra Leone four days later.
Mulenga earned his first competitive cap for the Chipolopolo in a 3-0 home win over Ivory Coast during the qualifiers of the 2023 tournament.
He said in an interview with SportsBoom that their aim is to make it for the AFCON again; “It will be a pleasure to take mother Zambia back to the Africa Cup of Nations again, the goal this time around would be to go further in the tournament.
Looking to the next two games, Mulenga said the team needs to pick it up from their 1-0 win against Chad. On October 15, Zambia beat Chad 1-0 in Yaounde, Cameroon, thanks to a Kennedy Musonda second half strike.
“We just have to pick it up from where we left on and collect more than three points from the two games, and then we can say we will see each other in Morocco,” Mulenga said.
Mulenga has been on the sidelines nursing an injury he sustained during their match against Chad on October 11, after being stretched off in the 70th minute of the scoreless draw. He has since returned to training and he will be in contention for a call-up.
“I have started training, it all depends on my progress on the training ground,” he said when asked about his chances of returning to the fold of the national team after missing the last game.
By: Pascal Amoah
