• FLASHBACK….ZAMBIA striker Jacob Mulenga (left) under pressure from Mozambique’s Simao Mate during the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group F match at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola in September. The game ended in a 0-0 draw.
Picture by JEAN MANDELA

By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
COACH Honour Janza says the Chipolopolo will need to beat Mozambique in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group F qualifier this Saturday despite key players having injuries.
Meanwhile, injured Kennedy Mweene and striker Emmanuel Mayuka were among the seven foreign based players that joined the Chipolopolo camp yesterday ahead of this weekend match.
Janza said in an interview after yesterday’s morning training session at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka that there was nothing pleasant about hearing that some senior and dependable players were carrying injuries ahead of such an important game.
He, however, said the team had no choice but to beat Mozambique with or without injuries to qualify.
Zambia plays Mozambique this Saturday in Group F qualifier and a win will see the Chipolopolo seal qualification to the 2015 finals but Janza has worries after Mweene, captain Stoppila Sunzu and Nathan Sinkala are all reportedly carrying injuries.
Sunzu limped off in FC Sochaux 2-1 win against Gazélec Ajaccio last Friday with a knock after 61 minutes while Mweene, who trained alone from the others yesterday, has missed the last two of Mamelodi Sundowns games with a groin injury.
There is also concern on the match fitness of midfielder  Sinkala who had been unwell and only resumed training two weeks ago.
“News of injuries to players who should be part of team brings some bit of worries but that is why we have a big number of players in camp and who are also quality. All we have heard are stories but we expect them in camp and we shall access them. And depending on what the medical team will say before we shall decide. But whatever the case, we have to go and win in Mozambique,” Janza said.
Janza said that the technical bench was aware that injuries were part of football and were always prepared to overcome such problems.
The Chipolopolo trainer said he had good enough players in camp to fill the boots of any player who might be unvailable due to injury for the Mozambique assignment.
Janza, however, stated that he does not like dwelling on injuries but rather concentrate on working with the players at his disposal and who will be part of the game plan.
He got a boost after six foreign based players joined the 13 locals in training with more expected today.
Four of the six who trooped in were part of yesterday’s morning training session while the other two arrived in the afternoon.
Mayuka, Chisamba Lungu, James Chamanga, Davies Nkausu, Aaron Katebe, Lubambo Musonda were part of training yesterday while Mweene trained alone under the watchful eye of the team medics.
Janza expressed happiness with the growing number of players in camp, saying the players looked sharp and fit.
He said the late President Michael Sata, who will be put to rest today, would be on the team’s mind as they take on Mozambique in Maputo.
“It will be the first game after the president’s death and we shall obviously have him in our minds and we know he would have loved to see us qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup and we shall work to make sure we achieve that,” he said.
The team will today be given a morning off in honour and to accord the team the opportunity to watch the burial of the President Sata at Embassy Park that will be preceded by a requiem mass at the National Heroes Stadium.
“It will be too heavy on all of us to be training when our president is being buried. We shall watch on television and loosen up in the afternoon,” he said.
The team leaves for Maputo on Thursday afternoon.