Zambia national team midfielder Enock ‘Computer’ Mwepu has confirmed that he and teammate Patson Daka will not be available for Tuesday’s Cameroon 2021 AFCON qualifier against Zimbabwe.
The ZamFoot Crew earlier reported that the duo would be available but the Association seems to have decided against having the duo fly to Zambia for the match looking at how straining the last one week has been for them.
Mwepu went on to urge the team to stay focused and be positive despite their poor start to the campaign.
“It is quite hard for the team after losing the first game. The scoreline was really not so good for everybody. Going in the second match, I can only wish the team to stay positive and focussed knowing that the Tuesday game won’t be easy,” he said.
“I can only wish them the best, it is said that we will not be there. We are supporting them and we are together in this situation. Whether we win or lose we are together but I am positive that we will win Tuesday’s match.”
Zambia national team suffered a huge five-nil defeat at the hands of Algeria on Thursday and the U23 were booted out of the om going U23 AFCON tournament but the Computer believes its just a phase.
“Our fans should just understand that it is a bad phase for the national team right now. We are trying to ask ourselves as players to know what could be the reason why we are losing. We are playing well and things are not going our way,” he said.
When asked about the U23 AFCON premature exit, Mwepu felt the team was just unlucky.
“A lot of our fans are disappointed, we can only tell them to keep the support and keep praying for us. We know that in football sometimes, you have no luck and I think we had no luck in this tournament,” he said.
“Let the fans keep supporting us, the future is bright for us and we know what we are capable of doing. We are optimistic that in the next tournament at the senior level and also for junior tournaments that we will do well and make our fans happy. Fans are for us and without them we are dead. Let them keep supporting us.”
The Chipolopolo will host Zimbabwe on Tuesday at National Heroes Stadium in a Group H Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
