Mutandwa Makes Serie A Debut

Mutandwa Makes Serie A Debut

Zambian young talent Kingston Mutandwa made his highly anticipated Serie A debut on Sunday, entering the field as a substitute in the closing minutes of Cagliari’s 1-0 victory over Empoli.

Mutandwa’s entrance into the match, replacing Gianluca Lapadula in the 87th minute, marked a significant moment as he became the second Zambian player to compete in Serie A, following in the footsteps of Lameck Banda.

The decisive goal of the game came in the 69th minute, courtesy of Jakub Jankto’s close-range finish. However, Cagliari had a scare when Liberato Cacace had a goal disallowed for offside after a VAR review just seven minutes prior.

With this victory, Cagliari now sits at 23 points, tantalizingly close to climbing out of the relegation zone with just one more win needed.

Mutandwa’s inclusion in the matchday squad back in January against Bologna did not see him take to the field. The promising forward joined Cagliari, led by manager Claudio Ranieri, in August the previous year, signing a four-year contract.

Impressively, Mutandwa has been showcasing his talent for the Cagliari Calcio Youth side, already scoring five goals this season. His prowess was evident in 2023 when he led Zambia’s attack in the CAF U20 African Cup of Nations in Egypt, where he also scored a goal for the Junior Chipolopolo.

Additionally, Mutandwa featured for Zambia Under-23 in an Olympic qualifier against Egypt, further highlighting his potential and the bright future ahead of him.