Nsabata, Kalumba, or Chibwe who will start between the sticks

The Chipolopolo Boys will take on the elephants on Friday at the 20, 000 capacity Stade Yamoussoukro in their first 2023 AFCON qualifier.

Kickoff is at 19:00 hours local time (21H00 CAT).

The ZamFoot Crew now looks at who may start between the sticks against the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Champions.

Chipolopolo boss Aljosa Asanovic has three goalminders namely Toaster Nsabata, Cyril Mwenya Chibwe and Charles Kalumba.

Mwenya Chibwe completed his passport formalities and was officially eligible to play for the Zambia national team in October 2019 and made his debut on 19 November in the 2021 AFCON qualifier against Zimbabwe.

He was also in between the sticks in the first four of Zambia’s six Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers conceding six goals.

However Mwenya Chibwe has not been active at club level since leaving Baroka FC in January.

The other goalkeeper is 25 year old, Charles Kalumba who was spotted and earmarked by then Chipolopolo coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic as a possible first choice goalkeeper at the Cameroon 2020 CHAN tournament.

He made some costly mistakes but worked his was 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.

Ahead of tomorrow’s clash, Toaster Nsabata stands in the way of Kalumba and Chibwe.

Nsabata has had a rollercoaster international duty since he made his debut in 2014 in the 4-3 defeat to Japan in the USA.

Having moved to South Africa, Nsabata seems has also regained his confidence he showed 8 years ago in Maamba and Chingola on the books of Nchanga Rangers.

He kept 12 clean sheets for Sekhukhune United in the 2021/2022 DSTV premiership season and earned himself a nomination for the PSL goalkeeper of the season accolade.

If form is anything to go by, The Maamba native will surely start between the sticks.