Cagliari midfielder Joseph Liteta and ZESCO United striker Kennedy Musonda missed Thursday’s training session due to injuries, casting doubt over their availability for Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Burundi in Ndola.

Meanwhile, Eliah Mandanji has joined the senior Chipolopolo squad as a replacement for the injured Musonda ahead of the encounter.

Mandanji had travelled to Burkina Faso with the Zambia Under-23 national team, which suffered a 1-0 defeat to the hosts in the first leg of their 2027 U-23 AFCON qualifier. The competition also serves as a qualification pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The forward was subsequently flown to Ndola to join the senior team and is expected to return to Lusaka on Friday after the Burundi match to rejoin the Under-23 squad ahead of Sunday’s return fixture against Burkina Faso.

The list of injured players ahead of the match has now increased to six, with Kingstone Mutandwa, Patson Daka, Lameck Banda and Gamphani Lungu joined by Liteta and Musonda on the injury list.