Zambia national team arrived on the Copperbelt at midday, today from Lusaka as the countdown begins to Saturday’s 2008 Africa Cup qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Konkola stadium in Chililabombwe.
Nine out of the ten foreign-based players are in camp with the exception of striker Collins Mbseuma.
The striker from Maritimo in Portugal is due in tomorrow morning and will fly directly to Ndola before driving up to Chililabombwe to join the rest of the squad.
Attacking midfielder Christopher Katongo is the latest foreign-based player to arrive after landing on Tuesday in Ndola.
The team will spend the day in Kitwe today before leaving for Chililabombwe at 08:00 hrs tomorrow morning.
Defender Joseph Musonda has been ruled out of Saturday’s game due to a stomach aliment he suffered last week and has been give a weeks off to rest.
And Congo are due in on Thursday on a charter flight but no time has been furnished to Faz as to when they will arrive at Ndola Airport.
Arriving on the same day will be the Zambia Under 23’s Olympic Games football tournament Group B qualifier opponents Cote d’Ivoire who will also land at Ndola Airport.
The two sides’ face-off at Nchanga stadium in Chingola on Sunday, June 3.
TEAM:
GOALKEEPERS: George Kolala (Zanaco), Charles Chileshe (Nchanga Rangers), Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, South Africa).
DEFENDERS: Clive Hachilensa (Free State Stars, South Africa), Patrick Masosa (Green Buffaloes), Billy Mwanza (Lamoteville Golden Arrows, South Africa), Kennedy Nkthani (Both Zanaco), Mark Sinyangwe (Nkana FC), Elijah Tana (Al Jezzera, UAE).
MIDFIELDERS: James Chamanga (SuperSport United, South Africa), Rainford Kalaba (Zesco United), Felix Katongo (Clube Desportivo 1º de Agosto, Angola), Noel Mwandila (Green Buffaloes).
FORWARDS: Songwe Chalwe (Moroka Swallows, South Africa), Christopher Katongo (Brondby, Denmark), Ignatius Lwipa (Zanaco), Collins Mbesuma (Maritimo, Portugal), Jacob Mulenga (Chateauroux, France), Enoch Sakala, Jonah Sakuwaha (Both Zesco United).
Why is Mbesuma coming late when the season in Portugal has already closed. He thinks he is a king or what. Since scoring those three goals Vs Congo the boy has struggled. He needs to change his mentality cause he is not Kalu yet. I wonder if we shall ever produce an African footballer of the year ever, maybe Katongo
This is what I always talk about every time. Who does Collins Mbesuma think he is? Which part of the be in camp 5 days before the game does he not understand? If David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba…. can do it why can’t he do the same? Jesus Christ!!! I nothing against the guy but enough is enough. He is always coming late and always finding problems with going back to base, what’s wrong with this dude? I can bet anyone in here that Collins Mbesuma will NOT return to base IN time. We love you Collins man and you are good guy but please get your act together. Could it be FAZ to blame? Whatever! Whoever is responsible please have all players at least 5 days before the match.
I agree with FAZ is doing a good job. why do you only write about football . Please write something on the Zambia amateur athletics assocition , now called Elias and Leah adultery athletics association of Zambia.
Chitalu-US, Do not use the name of the Most High God in vain. This is blaspheme and it is a curse. Why cant you just put across your point without mentioning the name of the Lord. Repent and ask for forgiveness from God.
Talking about Mbesuma, the boy is finished. If he does not put his act together, he will be history. He will just add to the statistics of the those Zambian players who have failed abroad and have dissapeared. Such as Bernard Makufi, Andrew Tembo, Douglass Chiwaya, Mwape Miti, etc, the list is endless. The only player I have faith in is Chris Katongo. I followed this guy’s progress here in SA. He is a very disciplined player and he knows where he is going. Just give Katongo two to three years, he will be in the likes of Michael Essien, Didier Drogba etc provided he stays focussed. I rest my case.
Anonymous from SA; its either you are blind or misplaced including your two friends from Denmark and US. Let me ask you a few questions. Do know that its Collins Mbesuma’s effort that made Zambia to go to the last Africa Cup of Nations? The time Mbesuma out shined everyone in South Africa where was Chris Katongo? If you have followed Collins very I think you should know by now that he has been acting like that through and through. Mbesuma has struggled with injury for something like three months and Zambians as a Nation with people claiming to have brains, do you honestly think he has to be the same. Now that Collins is not scoring we don’t have a team. This is because ZAMBIANS are a very negative people when it comes to sport, the thing you do is wait for players to make mistakes so that you go and laugh about with your friends and relatives who have not brought any not even a little glory to the nation. Learn to appreciate talent. Not just being evil through out.
Anonymous-SA, firstly its a free world you don’t need to tell me what to say and I don’t need to preached, please stick to your opinions. Bernard Makufi got injured while playing for Zambia and he has never recovered fully so he’s coaching the kids at the club were he played his professional soccer, Andrew Tembo and Mwape Miti did a lot for Zambian soccer but FAZ like always didn’t want to pay their dues only wants to treat professional players like school boys. Collins Mbesuma is one of the best players at the moment but he has to live up to the current status of being a superstar, Justine why can’t Collins come at least 4 days before the match? I wouldn’t be happy to see Collins destructing himself because it was another coach he was going to disciplined. Not so long ago we had Emmanuel Zulu. If don’t talk about it now he will never change. Why can’t he be patriotic like Kalu?
Justin do you anything aboutt Zambian football? Do some research, get back issues of the mining mirror for example. I can see you do not the history of Zambia Soccer. We had players in the past who a 100 times better than Mbesuma. We used to clobber Teams like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Morroco name them. If Mbesuma is good why did he flop in the UK? Ask yourself this question. Chris is Zambias best player at the moment, I have watched personally here in Denmark he is going to be someone. He came to Bøndby IF and went direct into the starting lineup, got the chance and grabbed it. By the way mr. coach Phiri Katongo players as a striker and scores goals, play him in the same position for Zambia and let him partner Jacob Mulenga upfront and Zed will carry the day
Justin- In the first place you seem like somebody who has a low thinking capacity when it comes to reasoning. I suggest you go and see the doctor for help. You dont learn from history. The point I was making is that most Zambian players have failed abroad because of lack of discipline. And if Mbesuma does not put his act together, he will be one of them. This does not mean that I am not appreciating what the lad is doing.
As for Chitalu-US, you are headed for hell
Anonymous-SA I totally agree with you. Players like the late Chikabala, late Geoffrey Mulenga, Perry Mutapa all failed cause of lack of discipline. As for Mbesuma Pompey do not want him and he does not even know whether he will stay on at Maritimo in Portugal. The fact is the season in Portugal ended weeks ago, so what has he been doing all this time? Somebody needs to talk to him and in CAPITAL LETTERS. I won’t surprised if he ends up like Litana, Chongo and Andrew Tembo who has failed to return to Zambia, but is still here in Denmark and has made his wife get a cleaning job. A disgrace to the Zambian community up here.
Justice-Denmark Big-up to you brother. We need people like you with good reasoning. I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Justice I wonder what kind of a Zambian soccer fan you are… Perry had an injury for close to four years, I am sure you don’t know that. He came back and played in the PSL league and performed very well. Until last year after that unfortunate event. Please don’t talk about things you are not sure of… ati ba uncle balandile ati Perry alifilwa pantu takwata discipline… then you put your head up and write about that. Don’t write from without… lol. You don’t really know what happened with Chongo’s case so just shut up and stop wasting time.
Their is nothing you can tell me about Zambian football. You ask Chris Chibuye current Coach for National Assembly, he will tell you about me. U can also ask Dr. Antony Kasolo (stayed at my place), who was her in Denmark, Silkeborg with Eagle Stars (ne bena Kalaba in the Team), they will tell you how much I know about Zambian Soccer. All the way from the late 60’s up to now my friend. I know all the players of yesterday and today. I am talking of players like Tolomeo Mwansa, Philip Sabu, Nyembo Mwamba, Damascus Senkwe, Peter Mhango, Lewis Shambulo, Benard Chanda, Dickson Makwaza, Henry Kalimukwa, Fumanchu Simutowe chita po chimo, Zoom, Ucar, Sefelino Chileshe, Sunday Kaposa, Emment Kapengwe, Howard Mwikuta, Freddy Mwila (these 3 played for at Atlant Chiefs and Cosmos in USA, Ba Freddy was in the same team with Pele together with Sono from South Africa) list is endless
Bush mwaiche Justin wali tamba aba ama men. Bola naipwe ku Zambia, Africa yaleshima. Think before u write rubbish
Justin mwaiche te kanya. Their is nothing you can tell me about Zambian football. You ask Chris Chibuye current Coach for National Assembly, he will tell you about me. U can also ask Dr. Antony Kasolo (stayed at my place), who was her in Denmark, Silkeborg with Eagle Stars (ne bena Kalaba in the Team), they will tell you how much I know about Zambian Soccer. All the way from the late 60’s up to now my friend. I know all the players of yesterday and today. I am talking of players like Tolomeo Mwansa, Philip Sabu, Nyembo Mwamba, Damascus Senkwe, Peter Mhango, Lewis Shambulo, Benard Chanda, Dickson Makwaza, Henry Kalimukwa, Fumanchu Simutowe chita po chimo, Zoom, Ucar, Sefelino Chileshe, Sunday Kaposa, Emment Kapengwe, Howard Mwikuta, Freddy Mwila (these 3 played for at Atlant Chiefs and Cosmos in USA, Ba Freddy was in the same team with Pele together with Sono from South Africa) list is endless
Bush mwaiche Justin wali tamba aba ama men. Bola naipwe ku Zambia, Africa yaleshima.
I THINK ZAMBIA NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM LOST IT WHEN THEY LOST TO SOUTHAFRICA AT HOME GROUND .WE NOW HAVE A SLIM CHANCE IN ORDER TO QUALIFY TO GHANA 2008 AFRICA CUP.JUST HOPE SOUTHAFRICA GETS A LOSE WHEN THEY PLAY CONGO.I THINK IT WILL BE BETTER TO GET FORIEGN COACH FOR THE WORLD CUP.WE ARE TIRED OF NOT GETTING TO THE FINALS AND NOT WINNING THE GAME .ZAMBIA WE LOVE YOU.GO .GO AND BEAT CHAD.