The Chipolopolo Boys will on Wednesday evening take on Tanzania in a 2026 World Cup qualifier set for Amani Stadium in Zanzibar.
Coach Avram Grant will be looking to pick a positive result away in East Africa to keep the Copper Bullets World Cup dreams alive though the chances are very slim.
The Israeli gaffer will look to field his strongest side from the available players in his squad.
Power Dynamos goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga is expected to start between the sticks ahead of Red Arrowsā Charles Kalumba and Patrick Chooma of Nkana.
Mulenga is likely to take up the role and replace Toaster Nsabata who was in goal as Zambia succumbed to a 2-0 loss at home to Morocco.
Prior to the 2023 AFCON, Mulenga started in goal in the friendly against Cameroon and was also in goal in the 2-1 loss to Niger.
He was in goal for the Chipolopolo Boys unfruitful AFCON outing in January 2024 putting in full shifts in all three group games.
After the tournament due to lack of game time at club level Mulenga lost his place to Toaster Nsabata in the last three 2025 AFCON qualifiers after starting the first three.
But after a year, The Blue Bullets product seems to have regained his place as the first choice for the 2012 AFCON winners and is expected to this evening.
The second option is Charles Kalumba, The Red Arrows first choice goalkeeper who has been around the national team set-up for the last six years.
The 29 year old was first spotted and earmarked by then Chipolopolo coach Milutin āMichoā Sredojevic as a possible first choice goalkeeper at the Cameroon 2020 CHAN tournament.
He made some costly mistakes but worked his way back to the national team set up, winning his third cap against Iraq.
Kalumba impressed as he saved Zambia from a tennis scoreline in Baghdad.
He was also a pivotal part of the Red Arrows squad that won a domestic double in the 2023/2024 season as well as the 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup.
He was also between the sticks as Zambia suffered a narrow one nil loss to Kenya at the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament.
The third option is Patrick Chooma, the Nkana goalkeeper who received his call up under coach Avram Grant.
Chooma is Zambia U20 National team graduate and has been a consistent feature in the MTN Super League, first with Prison leopards and now with record 13 time Champions Nkana.
Chooma was part of the 2020 class for Young Chipolopolo Boys that included Golden Mashata, Golden Mafwenta, Joshua Mutale, Prince Mumba, Patrick Gondwe, John Chishimba, and Jimmy Mukeya among others.
Zambia plays the Taifa Stars this evening in a Group E FIFA World Cup qualifier in Zanzibar at the Amani Stadium. Kick off is set for 21h00 CAT.
