By Mubukwanu Kaingu
With three weeks before the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone, the Chipolopolo bench would be hoping that Patson Daka’s injury scare from Leicester City’s final pre-season friendly on Saturday is not serious.
Daka had to be aided off the pitch during Leicester’s last pre-season friendly away against French club Lens.
According to the Leicester Mercury, the Chipolopolo striker suffered a suspected knee injury in the first half of Leicester’s 3-0 away loss to the French Ligue 1 club.
“With 35 minutes played against Lens, Daka stretched to connect with a cross and the home side’s centre-back Kevin Danso landed on his leg. Daka appeared to have hurt his right knee, and while he turned down a stretcher, he needed the help of two physios to limp off the pitch,” reporter Jordan Blackwell stated in his match report for the Mercury.
The development comes after a quiet pre-season for Daka in which he had yet to find the target in any of promoted Leicester’s four friendlies.
Leicester coach Steve Cooper will be keeping his fingers crossed this week that the injury is minor ahead of their opening league game at home against Tottenham Hotspur on August 19.
Furthermore, Zambia is less than a month away from their opening 2025 AFCON Group G qualifiers away against Ivory Coast on September 6 and Sierra Leone at home on September 9.
