Zambia-Kenya friendly against Zambia Off

Kenya will not play Zambia’s Chipolopolo in an international friendly on November 14 as earlier planned.

Reports suggest that Zambia have chickened out on the prospect of touring Nairobi owing to the current political situation in the country.

Football Kenya Federation’s chief executive Robert Muthomi confirmed on Thursday that the friendly match had been called off owing to ‘logistical issues’.

“It is unfortunate Zambia will not honour the friendly due to what we have understood to be logistical issues around the team’s travel,” he said.

The Zambian team was scheduled to play Cameroon in the dead-rubber 2018 World Cup qualification match at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola next Saturday, and thereafter board a two and a half hour flight to Nairobi to play Harambee Stars.

Football Association of Zambia communications manager Desmond Katongo stopped short of confirming their security concerns in the wake of pockets of unrest in the capital city after the repeat presidential elections.

“We are still in communication with the Kenyan federation and have raised one or two issues… it is no longer in our hands (if the match will be played),” said Katongo.

FKF had opted to have Harambee Stars play Zambia after another friendly match against Rwanda failed to materialise because the Amavubi Stars now have an African Nations Champions (Chan) qualifier to honour.