Nkwazi defender Kebson Kamanga and Nkana’s influential midfielder Kelvin Mubanga are some the notable absentees from the Chipolopolo’s provisional 2020CHAN team unveiled on Friday for training camp ahead of Zambia’s second round qualifying date against Botswana.
Kamanga played in all three of senior Chipolopolo‘s three-match friendly tour of North Africa and The Gulf in June and where he made his debut in a 2-1 loss against Cameroon in Madrid on June 2.
The utility Nkwazi defender featured in Chipolopolo’s subsequent friendly matches against Morocco in Marrakesh and Cote d’Ivoire in Abu Dhabi.
Nkana goalkeeper Allan Chibwe is the only one of the six home-based players who was on that two-week camp under coach Beston Chambeshi named in interim coach Aggrey Chiyangi’s 25-member CHAN qualifier side.
But Chiyangi has kept faith in his entire 2019 COSAFA Cup winning team although he has left out goalkeeper Sebastian Mwange and striker Tapson Kaseba .
Kaseba and Mwange , together with Chiyangi, are currently away on international duty with their club, Green Eagles, in Rwanda at the 2019 CECAFA Cub Cup that runs from July 6-21.
And Nkana midfielder Mubanga misses out on international duty for a second successive time after he was quietly dropped from the COSAFA due to a reported injury.
Power Dynamos midfielder Larry Bwalya is yet again a conspicuous absentee from the Chipolopolo setup.
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo enter camp on July 7 in Lusaka for the first week of training camp in Lusaka under Mumamba Numba who will be in charge during Chiyangi’s absence.
Chipolopolo will visit Botswana in their second round, first leg match on July 26 in Francistown.
The final leg will be played on August 3 with the winner over both legs advancing to the final qualifying round this September to play Angola or eSwatini for a place at next January’s finals in Cameroon.
TEAM:
GOALKEEPERS:Lawrence Mulenga (Power Dynamos), Lameck Siame (Kitwe United), Allan Chibwe (Nkana)
DEFENDERS:Simon Silwimba, Mwila Phiri, Clement Mwape (Zesco United), Gift Zulu, Lyson Thole (both Nkana), Adrian Chama (Green Buffaloes), Luka Banda (Napsa Stars), Isaac Shamujompa (Buildcon)
MIDFIELDERS:Benson Sakala (Power Dynamos), Mike Katiba, Jackson Chirwa Youremember Banda (all Green Buffaloes), Webster Muzaza, Austin Muwowo (both Forest Rangers), Clement Mundia (Kabwe Warriors), Ernest Mbewe (Zanaco), Bruce Musakanya (Red Arrows)
STRIKERS:Joseph Phiri (Red Arrows), Twiza Chaibela (Kabwe Warriors), Chitiya Mususu (Zanaco), Emmanuel Chabula (Nkwazi), Moses Phiri (Buildcon)
The team is not good.
The ZESCO captain and keeper is good and you should use him more often.