Zambia name strong squad to face Namibia

ZAMBIA coach Sven Vandenbroek has named a powerful squad which includes 15 foreign-based professionals for the crucial African Cup of Nations qualifying match against Namibia in Windhoek on Saturday.

Their first seven foreign-based players arrived in Lusaka last Thursday and went through their paces at a long workout at the Lusaka Futsal Indoor Arena on Friday.

They include Zambia’s former captain and midfielder Rainford Kalaba who stars for African powerhouse TP Mazembe of the DR Congo and has been recalled to the national squad.

Two more club mates of Kalaba at TP Mazembe, midfielder Nathan Sinkala and defender Kabaso Chongo were also called up along with the Orlando Pirates duo, midfielder Augustine Mulenga and striker Justin Shonga. The other two players who attended Thursday’s training session are midfielder Cletus Chama of Simba SC in Tanzania and midfielder Salulani Phiri of Polokwane City in South Africa.

They were joined by 11 local-based players on Sunday after they completed their Zambian league matches over the weekend, while eight more foreign-based players linked up with the squad in Johannesburg yesterday, where they will continue their preparations with a four-day camp before arriving in Namibia.

The South African duo, Sundowns goalie Kennedy Mweene and SuperSport United striker Gampani Lungu joined up in Johannesburg, as well as six other European-based players.

They are defenders Stopilla Sunzu of French club Metz, and Emmanuel Mbola of Hapoel Rana’ana in Israel; midfielders Lubambo Musonda of Gandzasar in Armenia and Enock Mwepu of RB Salzburg in Austria; and strikers Fashion Sakala of KV Oostende in Belgium and Patson Daka of RB Salzburg.

The strength and depth of the squad is underlined by the fact that it only includes four players who featured against Namibia at the Cosafa Cup in June when Zambia won on penalties, in goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata, defender Isaac  Shamujompa, midfielder Cletus Chama and striker Lazarous Kambole.

Meanwhile, nfa.org.na reports that three Namibian foreign-based players Riaan !Hanamub of Jomo Cosmos, Hendrik Somaeb of FK Zemun in Serbia and Willy Stephanus of AC Kaanjani joined up with the team yesterday while striker Benson Shilongo of Egyptian club Smouha, is expected today.

They join nine other foreign-based players in the 25-man squad, with most of them playing in South Africa.

They are goalkeepers Max Mbaeva of Golden Arrows and Virgil Vries of Kaizer Chiefs; defenders Tiberius Lombaard of Lusaka Dynamos and Charles Hambira of Baroka FC; midfielders Denzil Haoseb of Highlands Park, Ananias Gebhardt of Baroka FC and Wangu Gome of Cape Umoya; and strikers Sadney Urikhob of PSMS Medan in Indonesia and Deon Hotto of Bidvest Wits.

After yesterday morning’s training session, Namibia coach Ricardo Mannetti said his squad will only be finalised later this week.

“Today’s training session was one to see how the guys that just joined the camp are doing as we prepare to host Zambia. We will have some days before we finalise our match day squad by the end of the week; so far we don’t have any injuries and we are pushing,” he said.

“Talking before the game is for fans and not for the technical people. We should be respected and we respect Zambia and we want to get the three points and we will be ready for it. We will be at home and we should all be professional in our approach to the game,” he added.

Entry tickets are on sale for N$50 on Computicket outlets at Shoprite and Checkers stores countrywide as well as at Football House in Katutura.

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