Chipolopolo Boys forward Kennedy Musonda believes pressure is a good thing and can help bring out the best out of players.
The Israeli based striker was speaking during a pre match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Group E 2026 World Cup qualifier against Tanzania.
Musonda says the team knows what they have to do and just need to be prepared mentally for the encounter.
“Yeah, life without pressure, I mean, doesn’t push you to achieve your best. So I believe pressure is not just negative. Pressure is actually a good thing. And I think most players bring out their best when pressure is there. But I think we’re professionals. And we know what we were supposed to do on that pitch. So I think the most important thing is just to be prepared mentally and ready,” Musonda said.
Musonda spent three seasons in Tanzania playing for Young Africans and won three league titles as well as reaching the CAF Confederations Cup final two seasons ago.
When asked about his friends in the Taifa Stars squad, Musonda said for now he is just focused on his Zambia National team counterparts and can only speak about the Taifa Stars players after the game.
“My words to my friends. I think about that, it’s something we can only speak after the game. Right now, the focus is on the national team, it’s on Zambia. And it’s the coach who does the preparation. It’s not me who has to decide whether I’ll play or not. So, yeah, right now the focus is just on Zambia. It’s not on the friends I have or the people I know. Let’s see on the pitch,” he said.
“Well, I think it’s two ways, because the same way, I can’t say it’s hard, I can’t say it’s easy. But the same way, if someone knows me, I also know them, I know their weaknesses. So it is on who exploits the other’s mistakes or what the other knows better. But for me, football, I mean, it has nothing to do with do they know me, do they know, do I know them. It’s about who applies themselves the best way on the day of the game. As a team, as the players, we always want to represent our country in the best way,” he added.
The Chipolopolo Boys are winless in the last eight games in all competitions, and last won a match on November 19th, 2024, 2-0 over Sierra Leone with goals from Emmanuel Banda and Kennedy Musonda.
The Hapoel Ramat Gan striker says the team is hungry to get back to winning ways and very much prepared.
“Like the coach has said, we haven’t had time to fully meet as a squad. We’ll obviously be a full squad by today. But on behalf of the players, we are very much aware of the task that is at hand. And we are hungry to get back to winning ways. So I think on behalf of the players, we are very much ready and we are very much mentally prepared for this game,” he said.
Zambia plays the Taifa Stars tomorrow in a Group E FIFA World Cup qualifier in Zanzibar at the Amani Stadium. kick off is set for 21h00 CAT.
