. Mayuka

By FELIX MALUNGA –
CHIPOLOPOLO striker, Emmanuel Mayuka is itching for Zambia’s opening 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group B match against DR Congo this Sunday in the Equatorial Guinea town of Ebebiyin.
Zambia has never lost an opening match at the AFCON since 2006.
Mayuka, the 2012 AFCON golden boot winner, said he was looking forward to the first game against Congo and was hoping for a good start for Zambia.
“The first game against RD Congo is approaching on the 18th … Looking forward to the clash in Ebebiyin City. Fingers crossed for our team and country,” the Southampton foward wrote on his social facebook fanpage.
Dropped goalkeeper, Toaster Nsabata and defender Aaron Katebe believe the Chipolopolo were capable of lifting the AFCON trophy again this year.
Nsabata and Katebe, who failed to make the final 23-man AFCON squad, said they were hopeful that their colleagues would light-up the 30th edition of Africa’s prestigious football showpiece.
Defender, Bronson Chama, who was also dropped from the final squad, said it was an honour for him to be among the 27 in the provisional team after injury sidelined him for the larger part of last season.
Chama, the 2013 COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup winning captain, said he would work on the areas which coach Honour Janza advised him to improve for him to win back a place in the squad.
Meanwhile, as Zambia wind down the three-week pre-AFCON training camp in South Africa, the Chipolopolo are hoping to have one more practice match today before flying out to Equatorial Guinea.
According to Africanfootball.com, the Chipolopolo are believed to be courting a German Bundesliga side for a training match in Pretoria.
The likely opponent are Hoffenheim who are in South Africa where they are holding their winter break training camp and play University of Pretoria today in an international club.
Zambia have so far played two practice games in South Africa that included an international friendly against Bafana Bafana on January 4 which Janza’s men lost 1-0 at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
The Chipolopolo later beat First Division side, Jomo Cosmos 4-0 on Friday.
Zambia is in Group B with DR Congo, Tunisia and Cape Verde.