Kazakhstan-based Shepolopolo strikers Rachael Kundananji and Misozi Zulu will not be available when Zambia clash with Botswana in an Olympic qualifier at Nkoloma stadium due to undisclosed glitches.
Chipolopolo coach Bruce Mwape disclosed to Goal Diggers a day before the match that the duo was unavailable but that the team had already made adjustments to cover the missing strikers.
“We have managed to make adjustments to those who did not come so we don’t have a problem. Where we will say maybe we have a problem is where the top European players have failed to come. There could be a difference here and there but they were there even at this year’s COSAFA tournament so we will adjust. There is a hitch with the other two and they (Kundananji and Zulu) might join the team for the second leg,” Mwape said.
Zambia and Botswana face off in back to back fixtures with the second leg over the weekend.
Zambia will play against Botswana today at Nkoloma stadium with a return encounter to be played over the weekend in Gaborone.
Should Shepolopolo win, they will be up against any of Ghana, Gabon or Kenya in the next round.
A single team from Africa will automatically qualify for the Olympics this year, while another will have to face South American side Chile in a play-off later this year.