Zambia National team defender Rodrick Kabwe believes the upcoming international friendly match against Israel is an important game that will help the team prepare for next year’s AFCON qualifiers.
Kabwe says the team will go into the match with the mentality to get a result but with preparations at the back of their minds.
This will be the first game the Chipolopolo Boys will be playing without skipper Enock Mwepu who was forced into early retirement after being diagnosed with a hereditary Heart condition.
The Sekhukhune United player says the Copper Bullets will give their best on Thursday to make Mwepu proud.
“For us, we are looking at the qualifiers next year. We have two important games against Lesotho. It will help us. It is an important game and we want a result but at the same time we are looking at our preparations for next years’ AFCON qualifiers. As a football player when you go into a game be it a friendly or an official match is important so you go in there, give your best and try to win the game,” he said.
“It’s very bad, It’s an unfortunate situation that no one wants to find himself in. It affects us as a team because he was an important player but life has to go one and somehow play for, try and find results so that at least even when he is out there watching he can be proud. We will go into that game and try to get a result that will make him proud.”
Zambia will be using Thursday’s match to prepare for the Ivory Coast 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers that resume in March next year.
