Sweden based winger Edward ‘Tiger’ Chilufya has left his base for Egypt to join his Zambia U23 national teammates ahead of the U23 AFCON tournament which kicks off on Friday.
Chilufya is high on morale after being crowned Swedish league Champion with his Djurgadens IF teammates after finishing one point above record 23-time Champions, Malmö FF to win their eighth Allsvenskan title.
Chilufya will be looking to impress as his team prepares for next season’s UEFA Champions League. He played nine games and scored just one goal but had an injury mid-season which contributed to the fewer number of games played.
The Mphande Youth Academy product who will be one of the earliest foreign-based players to arrive in the Bola na Lesa camp was a key member of the 2017 U20 AFCON winning squad that went on to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Zambia opens its AFCON campaign on Saturday with a clash with South Africa before facing Nigeria three days later with the final group match on November 15 against Ivory Coast.
The top three teams at the tournament will qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Zambia was last at the Olympic Games in 1988 in Seoul.
FINAL SQUAD
(GOALKEEPERS)
Mangani Banda (Zanaco), Patrick Chooma (Kabwe Youth Academy), Bradley Mweene (Real Kings-RSA)
(DEFENDERS)
Moses Nyondo (Nkana), Prosper Chiluya (Kabwe Warriors), Kebson Kamanga (Zanaco), Shemmy Mayembe, Solomon Sakala (both Zesco United)
(MIDFIELDERS)
Field Kandela (Kabwe Warriors), Harrison Chisala, Oliver Lumbiya (Nkana), Enock Mwepu (Red Bull Salzburg-Austria), Emmanuel Banda (Ostende-Belgium), Edward Chilufya (Djurgardens-Sweden), Benson Chali (Forest Rangers), Ngosa Sunzu (Buildcon), Kings Kangwa (Arsenal Tula-Russia)
(STRIKERS)
Patson Daka (Red Bull Salzburg-Austria), Biston Banda (Buildcon), Lameck Banda (Arsenal Tula-Russia), Fashion Sakala (Ostende-Belgium)
