CHIPOLOPOLO kick off the 2009 Orange CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup campaign this afternoon when they face hosts Kenya in their opening Group A match at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

It will be the second successive time Chipolopolo and Kenya are meeting at the preliminary stage of the same tournament.

Chipolopolo and Kenya drew 0-0 in last edition of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup held in Uganda where they met in a Group B match in Jinja on January 2 this year.

Coach Herve Renard said he was looking forward to doing better than was the case in January when they failed to make it past the preliminary phase.


"Last time we didn’t do very well but at the end it was good preparation for the CHAN," the Frenchman said.

Renard is confident the silver-medal won at the COSAFA Senior Challenge in Zimbabwe will be a catalyst of better things to come in Kenya.

Chipolopolo finished runner-up to hosts Zimbabwe in the final that they lost 3-1 at Rufaro Stadium in Harare on November 1.

"I have been training well with the local players and it is not for nothing so we will do our best," he said.

His team has been bolstered this time around with the presence of two foreign-based players.

Defender Emmanuel Mbola of 2009 Armenia league champions Pyunik Yerevan is available and should start in left-back.

But most important of all is the availability of striker James Chamanga from Chinese side Dalian Haichang who scored a hat trick for Chipolopolo in last weekend’s friendly against North Korea at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.

Chamanga could be joined in attack by either Enock Sakala of Zesco United or Felix Sunzu Junior who is currently unattached.

However, Renard will be without influential left-winger Allan Mukuka who will be attending to a crucial FAZ Super Division Week 30 championship decider for Zanaco away to Kabwe Warriors on Sunday.

Power Dynamos winger Kennedy Mudenda should deputise on the left wing in Mukuka's absence who will only join the team on Monday after the game against Warriors.

Zesco United's Jacob Banda should start while Mbola will be joined at the back by Dennis Banda and Thomas Nyirenda.

Meanwhile, Kenya coach Twahir Muhiddin has said he is not afraid of Chipolopolo.

"We are not under any pressure going into the first match against Zambia. We respect their pedigree but they do not scare us. We are looking forward to learn something from them," Muhiddin told The Standard newspaper yesterday.

Chipolopolo's next Group A match will be against Ethiopia on December 2 at the same venue and wrap-up their preliminary stage matches two later against Djibouti.