By MICHAEL MIYOBA
CHIPOLOPOLO striker Fransisco Mwepu says he is determined to work hard to replicate his club form at the senior national team.
Mwepu is part of the 25-member squad which is in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the back-to-back international friendly matches against Egypt and Uganda.
The former Under-20 star who features for Spanish club Atlético Sanluqueño CF came in as a second half substitute as Zambia lost the first international friendly match in the UAE 1-0 to North African giants Egypt.
Mwepu, the young brother to former Chipolopolo captain Enock Mwepu scored six goals in seven matches for Atlético Sanluqueño CF to catch the eye of Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant who will be leading Zambia in their final friendly match against Uganda tomorrow.
“It’s a privilege, these are big games and to represent the nation its always a pleasure for me so I’m very happy to be here. I just want to work hard also and do my best and add one or two things to the team to ensure that it also moves forward,” Mwepu said.
“I’m doing well at my club and I also hope that I can help the national team to score goals, as a striker its always important to score goals and I hope to replicate that at the national team,” he said.
On how he felt after featuring in the game against Egypt on October 12, Mwepu said; “It is a good feeling for me. Those are high games and competition is always high so I’m very happy to add value to the team and contribute one or two things.”
Mwepu said the Chipolopolo boys will have to give their best against Uganda to bounce back from the loss to Egypt.
“There are no small games when playing for the national team so against Uganda, it’s a tough game, a good friendly game so we just have to give our best and put in our level best and I’m also looking forward to play the game and see how it will be,” Mwepu said.
Mwepu said the friendlies in UAE would play a key role to ensure that the Chipolopolo boys prepare for both the World Cup qualifiers scheduled to start in November and the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations slated for January 2024 in Ivory Coast.
