Chipolopolo Boys midfielder Kelvin Kampamba has opened up about the emotional roller coaster he experienced when he scored in Zambia’s 3-2 win over Sierra Leone on Tuesday night.

Kampamba came in the 66th minute to replace Obino Chisala and only needed five minutes to put Zambia back in the lead.

He was also involved in the third goal when his attempt on goal was handled by the Leone Stars defender just outside the penalty area, with Kings Kangwa coolly slotting the resultant freekick beyond the goalkeeper’s reach.

Reacting after the match, the emotional Kampamba, who lost his mother on September 1, said it was a vital win for the team as they wanted to remain in contention for qualification for the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

“That is what we needed; we lost the first match in Ivory Coast, so we needed these three points for us to get back in the 2025 Africa Cup qualifiers,” Kampamba told the FAZ media.

Kampamba dedicated goal to late mom

The 28-year-old Al Nasr Benghazi midfielder also spoke about the emotional moment when he scored the second goal that was dedicated to his mother, stating that playing in the match against Sierra Leone was a befitting “therapy” during a time when he was going through the pain of lossing his loved one.

“My performance—I can easily say it was fantastic, looking at where I’m coming from. Losing my mom and today helping the team to get maximum points and a goal is a great feeling,” he said.

He added, “Losing a mother is a difficult moment in life, but life goes on, so that’s why I wanted to be part of this team so that I can come back quickly to my normal senses, and being part of this game tonight (Tuesday) has maybe helped me recover, so after I scored I remembered everything about my mom.”

Kampamba’s goal against Sierra Leone was his first competitive goal for Zambia since his debut in 2017, after 23 appearances.

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