Italy-based winger Lameck Banda who plays for Serie A club Lecce has been ruled out of Zambia’s final squad that will face Mali in two international friendly matches this week.
Banda was in action on Thursday night last week in the Serie A when his side recorded their first victory of the season after defeating Salernitana 1-2 away.
The enterprising Zambian winger played 78 minutes in his 7th appearance in the Italian top flight league and he is believed to have sustained an injury in that same match which has led to his exclusion from coach Aljosa Asanovic’s final Chipolopolo squad for the upcoming international window’s friendly match against The Eagles of Mali on the 23rd and 26th September 2022.
The Football Association of Zambia has further disclosed that Denmark-based midfielder Lubambo Musonda will also miss out on the international window assignments due to injury while midfielder Prince Mumba who recently joined Croatian side NK Istra 1961 football club has been dropped from the squad.
Both Musonda and Banda last featured for the Chipolopolo boys in March this year when they defeated Comoros 2-1 in the 2023 Africa cup of nations qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Asanovic’s final squad that will travel to Mali includes English Premier League stars, Enock Mwepu of Brighton and Hove Albion FC and Leicester City striker Patson Daka as well as Scotland-based duo of defender Frankie Musonda and Rangers Fc striker Fashion Sakala.
Midfielders Klings Kangwa from Red Star Belgrade, Edward Chilufya from Mitdtjylland and Djurgårdens’ Emmanuel Banda as well as Switzerland’s Young Boys FC defender Miguel Chaiwa, are all expected to make the trip to Bamako this afternoon for the friendly match which is being used to prepare for next year’s Africa cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho to be played in March.
FINAL SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Charles Kalumba (Red Arrows), Lawrence Mulenga (Power Dynamos), Toaster Nsabata (Sekhukhune United-RSA)
DEFENDERS
Benedict Chepeshi, Allan Kapila (both Red Arrows), Shemmy Mayembe (Zesco United), Miguel Chaiwa (BSC Young Boys-Switzerland), Frankie Musonda (AYR United-Scotland), Tandi Mwape (TP Mazembe-DRC), Dominic Chanda (Kabwe Warriors), Luka Chamanga (Power Dynamos)
MIDFIELDERS
Clatous Chama (Simba SC-Tanzania), Edward Chilufya (Midtjylland-Denmark), Kelvin Kampamba (Zesco United), Joshua Mutale (Power Dynamos), Roderick Kabwe (Sekhukhune United-RSA), Emmanuel Banda (Djurgardens-Sweden), Enock Mwepu (Brighton-England), Kings Kangwa (FK Crvena Zvezda-Serbia)
STRIKERS
Fashion Sakala (Glasgow Rangers-Scotland), Patson Daka (Leicester City-England), Ricky Banda (Red Arrows), Evans Kangwa (Arsenal Tula-Russia)
