By Mubukwanu Kaingu
CHIPOLOPOLO will be ready for DR Congo in their first 2023 AFCON Group F game, declared Zambia captain Lubambo Musonda.
Zambia will mark their AFCON return after an eight-year hiatus on January 17 when they face DR Congo in their opening Group F fixture in San Pedro where they will be based.
Avram Grant’s side is about to conclude their 10-day pre-2023 AFCON training camp in Saudi Arabia whose highlight was a friendly by press time yesterday against Cameroon in Jeddah.
In an interview with FAZ Media at Chipolopolo’s training camp in Taif, Musonda said the fans should believe in the team as it makes its first return to the AFCON since 2015.
“Of course, we will be ready for the first game at AFCON. It is not going to be an easy game, it’s like a derby for us so we will make sure we prepare adequately and give a good fight,” Musonda said.
The last time DRC and Chipolopolo met was also at the AFCON in 2015 in another opening group stage match that ended 1-1.
Musonda also made his AFCON debut at that tournament hosted by Equatorial Guinea where Zambia made a group stage exit.
Chipolopolo will close their training camp in Taif tomorrow since arriving in Saudi Arabia on January 3.
Meanwhile, Tanzania became the second Group F team to arrive in San Pedro ahead of the AFCON that Ivory Coast is hosting from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
Tanzania arrived in the Ivorian port town on Monday afternoon from Egypt where they had held an eight-day training camp in Cairo.
The Taifa Stars arrived in Ivory Coast just 24 hours after losing 2-0 to Egypt in a pre-tournament friendly in Cairo on Sunday evening.
Morocco was the first Group F team to arrive in San Pedro on Sunday and is due to play their first friendly on January 11 against Sierra Leone.
DR Congo, who set up base in the United Arab Emirates, will conclude their pre-2023 AFCON camp today with a friendly against Burkina Faso in Abu Dhabi.
It will be Congo’s second and final friendly game following a scoreless draw against Angola in Abu Dhabi last Saturday.
