By Mubukwanu Kaingu
POWER Dynamos coach and two-time AFCON bronze and 1994 silver medal winner Linos Makwaza is confident his goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga will deliver for Chipolopolo at January’s tournament in Ivory Coast.
Mulenga and Francis Mwansa of Green Buffaloes have been the subject of public debate as Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant continues to rotate the duo since June in the absence of Toaster Nsabata who is struggling to get game time at Zesco United.
Mwansa and Mulenga each had time in goal during
November’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Congo Brazzaville and Niger respectively.
Makwaza said in an interview in Kitwe on Saturday that he fully understands the public’s anxieties that Chipolopolo still does not have a substantive number one heading into January’s AFCONs.
“On Lawrence, the boy is good, a natural goalkeeper and he made us win the league last year, but of course, there are many critics,” Makwaza said.
“With the national team, things are different. It requires mental strength because the national team is not like a club.
“He played in the game against Ivory Coast in June but was on the bench against Congo-Brazzaville and I think every player can be worried about that but against Niger, he was between the sticks but they lost but that’s football.”
Mulenga also played the opening three group games at the 2023 COSAFA Cup in South Africa in July but was sidelined for the knockout round due to injury and Mwansa was in goal until Chipolopolo’s successful title defence in Durban.
He later returned for Chipolopolo’s final AFCON Group H qualifier away to Comoros in September which ended 1-1 but suffered a mild concussion in club action that saw him miss the October friendlies against Egypt and Uganda.
Makwaza also disclosed that his bench has been very supportive of Mulenga.
“We called him when he came back from the national team, we encouraged him because he is one of the best three goalkeepers we currently have in the country,” Makwaza said.
“But what I like the most is what our former number one Kennedy Mweene said recently that Lawrence should be the first-choice.”
Mulenga’s first game back at Power after Chipolopolo duty was in Saturday’s 1-1 home draw against FC MUZA at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe where he had a fairly good day with three good set-piece saves his highlight of the day.
“We have encouraged him and even today’s game (against MUZA) and the remaining four games we have told him to up his game going into the AFCON,” Makwaza said.
‘Makwaza added that the Power bench was doing its part to prepare Mulenga for next month’s pre-AFCON camp.
“Yes, in fact, we have coach Martin Mwamba in charge of that department and training-wise he has made a program where when the team is resting, the goalkeepers are busy training but he will be ready for the AFCON,” he said.
