By MICHAEL MIYOBA
THE Zambia national soccer team begin their World Cup preps on a high when they face the Teranga Lions of Senegal in today’s friendly match at the Stade Lat Dior in Thies, Senegal.
Despite it being a friendly fixture, the tie promises be a cagey affair after Senegal coach Aliou Cisse named a star-studded squad led by Liverpool striker Sedio Mane to face the 2012 African Champions.
While, Zambia have their eyes on World Cup qualifiers set to kick off in September, the Lions of Teranga are preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations where they qualified unbeaten from Group I of the qualifiers.
Senegal will aim to extend their current unbeaten streak on home soil when they host the Chipolopolo who are searching for a consecutive win having beaten Zimbabwe in their last fixture.
The Teranga Lions are yet to taste defeat on home soil from the last nine matches and boast of having seven wins and two draws.
However, they are yet to come out victorious in any of the last three meetings against the Chipolopolo who have two wins and one draw from the encounters.
The Chipolopolo who missed out on the AFCON despite having beaten Zimbabwe 2-0 in their final group H fixture of the qualifiers, are unbeaten in their last three matches in all competitions, having recorded a 3-3 draw with Algeria before they beat Zimbabwe in Harare.
While Senegal boast of having the biggest stars of African football in Mane, and fresh from wining the Uefa Champions League with Chelsea Edward Mendy, Zambia will be without their star players in Patson Daka, Enock Mwepu and Fashion Sakala who have been excused from the Chipolopolo squad.
Daka and Mwepu are concluding on their transfers from Red Bull Salzburg while Sakala has been excused to conclude his transfer to Glasgow Rangers FC.
“Micho” has named a youthful 23-member squad consisting of five foreign-based stars including Cardiff City’s under-18 star Ntazana Mayembe and 2017 AFCON winner Prosper Chiluya.
After playing Senegal today the Chipolopolo will shift their focus to playing Benin in Cotonou on June 8 before heading to Omdurman to clash with Sudan in their last game of the three friendly ties.
