Musonda Discusses Chipolopolo Return and AFCON Countdown

PIC CREDIT: FAZ MEDIA

It feels great to be back says defender Frankie Musonda after a four-month absence from the Chipolopolo.

Musonda returns to Chipolopolo after injury saw him miss four engagements in October and November.

The defender from Scottish second-tier club Ayr United is one of 24 AFCON debutants in the Zambian team heading to the tournament Cote d’Ivoire is hosting from January 13 to February 11.

"Yeah, really excited. It was unfortunate to be injured just before October and it carried on into November,” Musonda said.

"So I have been back for six, seven weeks now. I feel good, so excited to be back now."

The UK-born defender made his Zambia debut in March 2022 and has gone on to be a pillar in the backline since deciding to play for Chipolopolo and capped it as part of the team that has ended the 2012 champions' eight-year AFCON absence.

Musonda joined Chipolopolo's 10-day camp in the Saudi Arabian summer capital of Taif on Thursday together with attacker Lameck Banda of Serie A club Lecce.

"We have travelled so far and first of all, we want to recover and work tactically with the manager and the coaching staff. It should be good preparation ahead of the tournament," Musonda said.

Zambia are in Group F at the 2023 AFCON where they will face DR Congo on January 17, Tanzania on January 21 and Morocco on January 24.

All three of those matches will be played in the Ivorian port town of San Pedro.

"It's a very exciting group. They will be tough opponents that is why we all qualified for this stage," Musonda said.

"Everyone is a good team, everyone knows what they are doing, and each game will be tough but again, we think we can win each game. Very excited and we just need to concentrate."