. Chilufya

By SANDRA MWILA –
STRIKER Edward Chilufya is out of the Chipolopolo’s Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier against Nigeria while Patson Daka is racing against time to recover from injury ahead of the must-win clash in Uyo.
Chilufya, part of the success Under-20 side, again misses from the Chipolopolo squad due to visa complications having missed the back-to-back matches against Algeria last month.
“I feel very bad that I won’t be part of the team because my visa expired and I am yet to renew it. This means that I would not be able to get back into Sweden if I travel out. I am sad I will miss the game,” Chilufya said from his base in Sweden.
He said he had been trying to renew his via but was told to go back to the Swedish Migration Agency after three weeks.
Chilufya wished the team best of luck as they face Nigeria and was confident that the Chipolopolo would emerge victorious and keep alive hopes of qualifying for the World Cup.
“The team can beat Nigeria, they just have to work extra hard because Nigeria is beatable,” Chilufya said.
Coach Wedson Nyirenda would now be hoping Daka is certified fit and released by his club on time ahead of the game.
Already Nyirenda had to make adjustments after striker Brian Mwila and midfielder Emmanuel Banda were ruled out because of injuries and he recalled Alex Ng’onga and John Ching’andu.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) communication manger Desmond Katongo said Daka will join the team in Nigeria tomorrow and that his delay was due to a knock he picked at his Austria club Red Bull.
“Daka will fly directly to Nigeria on Wednesday, his club want to assess him from there after he picked a knock hence the delay,” Katongo said.
Katongo said the Chipolopolo arrived in Ghana yesterday together with South African based striker Justin Shonga and midfielder Rodrick Kabwe and was by yesterday afternoon expecting skipper Kennedy Mweene, Stoppila Sunzu, Fashion Sakala and Chisamba Lungu to join camp.
He said Enock Mwepu and Chilufya were expected in Ghana today though the latter indicated his unavailability to the Times.
The team had their first training session yesterday at Marcel Desailly Stadium yesterday and are camped at Airside Hotel in Accra.