On Thursday, Chipolopolo head coach Moses Sichone unveiled his final 28-member squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ahead of the pre-tournament camp in Spain. Power Dynamos FC duo Lawrence Mulenga and Willard Mwanza, and Zanaco FC shotstopper Francis Mwansa are the trio of goalkeepers coach Kennedy Mweene will be working with at the AFCON.
With the tournament set to kick off in a few days, the Zambian faithful will be wondering which of these goalkeepers is the ideal candidate between the sticks. BolaNews saves you the hassle and takes a closer look at Zambia’s goalkeeping options ahead of the AFCON.
EXPERIENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Lawrence Mulenga is the only one of the three goalkeepers to have already played in the AFCON finals, starring for the Copper Bullets last year. He has earned 23 caps with Zambia and won three COSAFA Cup titles.
Mulenga made the podium of the 2023 COSAFA Goalkeeper of the Year Award, going up against Ballon d’Or nominee Ronwen Williams.
In 2023, Moses Sichone, then Chipolopolo assistant coach, surprised many by starting 21-year-old Francis Mwansa in a COSAFA Cup semifinal against South Africa. The youngster excelled in his debut match and eventually started the final against Lesotho, leading Zambia to the title.
He has already earned nine caps with the Chipolopolo Boys, featuring in Zambia’s final squad at the previous AFCON and starting at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) this year. At 23, Mwansa is the youngest Zambian goalkeeper at the 2025 AFCON.
Willard Mwanza was handed his Chipolopolo debut by Avram Grant in August, starting in goal during Zambia’s opening match at the CHAN against the Democratic Republic of Congo. This came after an impressive season with Power Dynamos, in which he emerged as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Lawrence Mulenga.
Mwanza led the Kitwe giants to the Zambian Super League title and bagged the MTN FAZ 2024-25 Golden Glove after keeping 12 clean sheets in 20 games.
STATISTICS
Since the beginning of the 2024-25 league season, Lawrence Mulenga has kept seven clean sheets in 16 matches, conceding 11 goals. Hence, he has recorded a cleansheet in 44% of his outings and only conceded 0.69 goals per game.
With 16 clean sheets and 12 goals conceded in 26 games, Willard Mwanza has bagged clean sheets in 62% of the games he started and only conceded 0.46 goals per match since last season. The goalkeeper also has a penalty save to his name.
| Lawrence | Francis | Willard | |
| Approximate height | 1.75 m | 1.78 m | 1.82 m |
| Matches played | 16 | 38 | 26 |
| Goals conceded | 11 | 39 | 12 |
| Clean sheets | 7 | 14 | 16 |
| Penalties saved | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Goals conceded per game | 0.69 | 1.03 | 0.46 |
| Percentage of games with a clean sheet | 44% | 37% | 62% |
Francis Mwansa, on the other hand, registered 14 clean sheets and let in 39 goals in 38 appearances. This represents a shutout percentage of 37% and a goals conceded per game ratio of 1.03 since the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
PLAYSTYLE
Often compared to FC Bayern Munich legend Manuel Neuer, Lawrence Mulenga is the definition of a modern-day goalkeeper. He is excellent with the ball at his feet, proficient in both short and long range passing, even with opposition players pressing him.
The 27-year-old is also a decent shotstopper, seldom commits blunders, and is proficient in making runs off his line. At the 2023 AFCON, Mulenga completed more short passes (50) than any other goalkeeper during the group stage while registering the second most saves (10).
Despite being only 23, Francis Mwansa is a quite confident and vocal, never shying away from giving instructions to his defenders. The youngster is quick to run offline in one-on-one situations and can come up with important saves when called up. Mwansa’s passing range is pretty decent, with the goalkeeper often opting to go long.
Standing at approximately 1.82 metres tall, Mwanza is a man mountain at the back. The Power Dynamos FC shotstopper is adept at dealing with aerial balls, often relieving his defence of pressure.
When it comes to making saves, Mwanza is one of the standout goalkeepers in the country, with his exceptional reflexes often coming to the rescue in defence. He is pretty good with the ball at his feet, demonstrating good accuracy with his long passing.
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