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05-24-2008, 06:26 PM
Six Zambia players Iran-bound
By Sports Reporter
SIX players, among them five foreign-based, today leave for Iran to join the national soccer team in a preparatory friendly for next weekend’s conjoined 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup qualifier against Togo set for the Ghanaian capital, Accra.
Also scheduled to be on the same Ethiopian Airways flight to Addis Ababa for onward connection is the Under-20 national team that will play Saudi Arabia in a two-nation invitational tournament.
The foreign-based players are strikers Clifford Mulenga (Bidvest, South Africa), James Chamanga (Dalian Haichang, China), Isaac Chansa (Helsingborg IF, Sweden), Felix Katongo (Rennes, France) and goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, (South Africa) and under-20 player, Roger Kola of local side Zanaco.
FAZ general secretary George Kasengele said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the players would be on the same flight with the Under-20 national team on their way to the Middle East for a two-nation under-21 invitational tournament against hosts, Saudi Arabia after the third country, Japan, pulled out.
Kasengele said the Zambian contingent would fly out aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight this afternoon up to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where the team would part company with some going to Saudi Arabia, while others would be heading to the Iranian capital Tehran for Sunday’s friendly match.
FAZ committee members, Keegan Chipango and Marcha Chilemena will be the delegation leaders for the Under-20 side.
Zambia Under-20 coach, Oswald Mutapa junior said in an interview that his team was set for the friendly and that it would give his boys the impetus for the upcoming 2009 Rwanda African Youth Cup qualifier against Mauritius in the first leg of the preliminary round of the 16th continental championship being defended by Congo Brazzaville.
Zambia will host Mauritius on the weekend of June 28 and 29 in Lusaka, while the return leg will be played on either July 12 or 13 in Port Louis.
Mutapa described his boys’ condition as physically fit, save for striker Kola who picked up a slight knock in training yesterday, but said it was nothing serious.
He named the travelling party as goalkeepers; William Chibale (Lusaka Dynamos) and Kelvin Musonda (Zanaco), Defenders; Michael Katongo (Kabwe Warriors), Lameck Tembo (Celtics), Derrick Mwansa (Nkwazi), Moses Mulambi (Nchanga Rangers), Boyd Chipeta (Dynamos), Collins Chilufya (Lusaka Youth Academy).
The midfielders are Nathan Sinkala and Nathan Chintu (Green Buffaloes), Stophira Sunzu and Chisamba Lungu (Zanaco), Tom Bakala (Nchanga Rangers), Hendrix Mumpa (Betron Shooting Stars) and Musonda Munaile (Young Zanaco).
Others are Morgan Kaoma (City of Lusaka), Mathews Kapela (Green Buffaloes), Saint Nkhoma (Zamtel) and Mathews Chipampe (Profund Warriors).
By Sports Reporter
SIX players, among them five foreign-based, today leave for Iran to join the national soccer team in a preparatory friendly for next weekend’s conjoined 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup qualifier against Togo set for the Ghanaian capital, Accra.
Also scheduled to be on the same Ethiopian Airways flight to Addis Ababa for onward connection is the Under-20 national team that will play Saudi Arabia in a two-nation invitational tournament.
The foreign-based players are strikers Clifford Mulenga (Bidvest, South Africa), James Chamanga (Dalian Haichang, China), Isaac Chansa (Helsingborg IF, Sweden), Felix Katongo (Rennes, France) and goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, (South Africa) and under-20 player, Roger Kola of local side Zanaco.
FAZ general secretary George Kasengele said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the players would be on the same flight with the Under-20 national team on their way to the Middle East for a two-nation under-21 invitational tournament against hosts, Saudi Arabia after the third country, Japan, pulled out.
Kasengele said the Zambian contingent would fly out aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight this afternoon up to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where the team would part company with some going to Saudi Arabia, while others would be heading to the Iranian capital Tehran for Sunday’s friendly match.
FAZ committee members, Keegan Chipango and Marcha Chilemena will be the delegation leaders for the Under-20 side.
Zambia Under-20 coach, Oswald Mutapa junior said in an interview that his team was set for the friendly and that it would give his boys the impetus for the upcoming 2009 Rwanda African Youth Cup qualifier against Mauritius in the first leg of the preliminary round of the 16th continental championship being defended by Congo Brazzaville.
Zambia will host Mauritius on the weekend of June 28 and 29 in Lusaka, while the return leg will be played on either July 12 or 13 in Port Louis.
Mutapa described his boys’ condition as physically fit, save for striker Kola who picked up a slight knock in training yesterday, but said it was nothing serious.
He named the travelling party as goalkeepers; William Chibale (Lusaka Dynamos) and Kelvin Musonda (Zanaco), Defenders; Michael Katongo (Kabwe Warriors), Lameck Tembo (Celtics), Derrick Mwansa (Nkwazi), Moses Mulambi (Nchanga Rangers), Boyd Chipeta (Dynamos), Collins Chilufya (Lusaka Youth Academy).
The midfielders are Nathan Sinkala and Nathan Chintu (Green Buffaloes), Stophira Sunzu and Chisamba Lungu (Zanaco), Tom Bakala (Nchanga Rangers), Hendrix Mumpa (Betron Shooting Stars) and Musonda Munaile (Young Zanaco).
Others are Morgan Kaoma (City of Lusaka), Mathews Kapela (Green Buffaloes), Saint Nkhoma (Zamtel) and Mathews Chipampe (Profund Warriors).