Eight Barclays soccer cup quarter finalists have advanced preparations for the K 250 million rich championship.
One of the teams is the 2006 KCM Premier League runners-up Green Buffaloes football
Club who say they want to use the match against Zambia National Service (ZNS)
Division One sponsored side Green Eagles at Woodlands Staduim as a stepping stone
to lift a silverware this season.
Lusak Dynamos would face 2007 KCM premier league winners Zesco United at the same
Stadium.
Other quarter-final matches would be held on the same day, involving Nkana who faces
Konkola Blades, Riflemen to face Chambishi at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola.
Stand-in coach Goerge Chikokola told journalists at the Independence staduim during
a training session that his boys were more than ready to face Choma-based division
one side Green Eagles on Saturday.
” We are ready for the game as we have done all we can to prepare, ” said the coach.
He however said three key players namely Dennis Banda,Boston Mwanza and Simeo
Lubemba have injuries with Banda having severe injury with a fractured shin.
“We are taking him ( Banda ) to the Italian Hospital for specialist treatment,” he
said.
But he bragged that he still has a lot of ammuninitions to enable his team sail
through to the semis of the inaugural championship.
He said although his team would enjoy a slight advantage over the ZNS sponsored
Division One side, his team respects their oponents.
He thanked Barclays Bank for coming up with the initiative which he said would help
improve soccer standards in Zambia.
” I want to thank the bank for introducing the Cup as it has added more value to
Zambian football,” said Chikokola.
He appealed to GBFC fans for calm but support his team to carry the day on Saturday.
He also appealed to media fratenity to follow the rules of the game to avoid
joepardising it.
And team captain Noel Mwandila said preparations for the Saturday game was going on
well adding his team was determined to scoop the cup.
Mervin Sinkala echoed his skippers’ sentiments saying the team’s preparations were
progressing well.
Sinkala noted that although his team were looking to a second silverware, the team
was determined to win the cup in appreciation to the sponsors especially Army
Commander Isaac Chisuzi.
” As Buffaloes we are looking for a silver ware this season. We are determined to
the cup for our Army Clommander, he said.
The quarterfinals to be beamed live on national television through sponsorship of
Barclays Bank as well as on Multi Chioce DSTV would not only entertain the soccer fans but would be another leverage to improve individual players’ soccer calibre.
Meanwhile, Barclays Bank Marketing Manager Erick Ngondo urged local journalists to
be responsive to the development of sports in the country.
Addressing journalists at the end of the four day sports workshop at ZAMCOM today,
Ngondo said time had comer for Journalists to take the leading role in the
development of sports.
He said since journalists were able to make or break society it was imparative for
them to actively cover football and other sports activities in rural Zambia,
especially.
The manager said his bank was keen to support Journalist’s efforts in the coverage
of sports in the country.
Well done Barclays. Renewed interest in sponsorship of live TV broadcasts will once again create enthusiasm among players and fans again. This will help to increase awareness, interest and anticipation the kind we used to see in the 1970s and 1980s. We hope other companies will follow suit and bring back Dennis Liwewe, Marcha Chilemena and others.
ctd. We surely need to revamp our Radio commentaries too. Dennis was a force that put Zambia up and we would need more “Dennises†again. With this kind of promotion, I am confident the tide will soon turn around for more success in Zambian soccer.