Zambia national team midfielder Golden Mashata has asked fans to support the team more as they prepare for the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Mashata, who is part of the 28-member all local assemblage says the lads will do their best to be among the teams that will be at the AFCON through hard work.
He says Group I which has Algeria, Togo and Burundi is tough but with good preparations Zambia could top the batch.
“I think in our group, no game is easy, every game is tough. We are taking every game serious. I think the most important thing is to follow the instructions from the coaches and they have been encouraging us from the first day that we can do it and we believe that we can do it,” said the Green Buffaloes midfielder.
“The fans, they should continue believing in us and we will deliver.”
Mashata expressed delight at making the cut for the local guns and promised to work hard to make the final cut.
“I think it is a motivation and I think every Zambian player waits for the call up. So once your call up comes, that means you are motivated and you are pushing enough. But I think enough is not the limit,” he said.
“As a player and as a group, we need to push more.”
He says competition in the squad is stiff and ensuring that every one puts in their best.
“I think the competition is very high and it’s one of the cardinal things in the group. We need competition at this early stage of the preparation,” Mashata added.
Chipolopolo coach George Lwandamina is currently drilling 28 local players in the first phase of preparations that will culminate in the final phase when foreign based players are available.
Zambia will kickstart its Group I assignment on 25 September away to Algeria before hosting Togo four days later in Ndola.
