Three PSL-based Chipolopolo players including an ex-Kaizer Chiefs striker have made Avram Grant’s final squad for next week’s 2023 AFCON qualifiers against Lesotho.
Zambia will host Lesotho on March 23 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, and the two sides meet in the final leg of the AFCON qualifier on March 27 at Dobsonville Stadium in Johannesburg.
Headlining Grant’s AFCON qualifiers call-ups from the PSL: DStv Premiership is inactive goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata of Sekhukhune United.
Nsabata, who is Zambia’s number one, has seen little competitive action this season initially due to injury before Ivorian goalkeeper Badra Sangare usurped him.
The Zambian goalkeeper has made just two competitive starts in 2023 with the latest coming on March 10 in Sekhukhune’s 2-0 win over Cape Town Spurs in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup.
Nsabata’s clubmate and midfielder Roderick Kabwe has also made the Zambia team for the back-to-back Group H qualifier dates against Lesotho.
Completing the PSL-based roll-call is AmaZulu midfielder Rally Bwalya. But SuperSport United forward Gamphani Lungu has been overlooked.
Lazarous Kambole RETURNS
Meanwhile, Lazarous Kambole returns to the Chipolopolo fold for the first time since November 2019.
Kambole’s quiet stay at Chiefs from 2019 to 2022 also saw him snubbed for international duty until today.
However, Kambole’s recent form since he joined nine-time Zambian champions Zesco United on a six-month loan from Tanzanian club Young Africans has not gone unnoticed.
Kambole has so far scored four goals in his first three games from six games he played since rejoining the Zambian club that sold him to Chiefs in June 2019.
Missing, though, is Kambole’s Zesco clubmate and goalkeeper Cyril Chibwe.
Chibwe has been dropped from the 27 home-based call-ups that included Kambole who were part of last week’s first phase of training camp in Lusaka.
The ex-Baroka FC goalkeeper last featured for Chipolopolo at the 2022 COSAFA Cup last Zambia won last July in Durban.
Also not making the team from the home-based call-ups is ex-Amazulu and Orlando Pirates midfielder Augustine Mulenga who now plays for Zambian club Napsa Stars.
Chipolopolo heads into next week’s encounters with Lesotho in third place tied on 3 points with second-placed Comoros after two rounds of matches played.
Lesotho is bottom with 1 point while Cote d’Ivoire leads Group H with 4 points.
ZAMBIA SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Toaster Nsabata (Sekhukhune United, South Africa), Lawrence Mulenga (Power Dynamos), Allan Chibwe(Forest Rangers)
DEFENDERS: Frankie Musonda (Ayr United, Scotland), Dominic Chanda (Kabwe Warriors), Tandi Mwape (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Roderick Kabwe (Sekhukhune United, South Africa). Benedict Chepeshi (Red Arrows), Aime Mabika (Inter-Miami, USA), Teddy Khumalo, Athletico Lusaka), Benson Sakala (FK Viagem Pribram, Czech Rep), Aaron Katebe (Power Dynamos)
MIDFIELDERS: Kings Kangwa (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia),Kelvin Kapumbu, Kelvin Kampamba (both Zesco United). Emmanuel Banda (Djurgarden, Sweden), Lubambo Musonda (Horsens, Denmark), Patson Kwataine (Mufulira Wanderers) Clatous Chama (Simba SC, Tanzania)
STRIKERS: Lameck Banda (Lecce, Italy), Patson Daka(Leicester City, England), Fashion Sakala Glasgow Rangers, Scotland). Lazarous Kambole (Zesco United), Edward Chilufya (Midtjylland, Denmark), Joseph Phiri (Red Arrows), Kennedy Musonda (Young Africans).
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