Andrew Phiri, a striker for MUZA FC, has pledged to keep up his hard work in order to gain a spot in the Chipolopolo team.
Prior to back-to-back matches in the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying round of matches against Congo Brazzaville and Niger, Avram Grant called up Phiri to the squad. He took over for an injured Evans Kangwa.
Phiri was called up twice, however he did not play as a substitution against Ivory Coast in the Afcon qualification matches.
He has, nevertheless, kept up his impressive play, and with seven goals in the Zambian Super League and nine goals overall across all competitions, he currently leads the league in goal scoring.
In an exclusive interview with Bolanews, the Elegant Dynamites striker expressed disappointment at not being able to play in either of the two games, but he is still optimistic that he will have the opportunity eventually.
“The national team experience was just okay though disappointed I didn’t play, but confident I will get a chance one day,”
Phiri has been outstanding over the past two seasons. Last year, he scored 14 goals in the league and assisted MUZA FC in qualifying for both their first-ever CAF Confederation Cup and their first-ever ABSA Cup final, which they ultimately lost to Forest Rangers.
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With the upcoming AFCON tournament, Phiri remains hopeful, that he will be part of the Chipolopolo squad that will be travelling to Ivory Coast in January.
