Zambia will face Angola and not Swaziland in their first official game in 2013.
Herve Renard’s side has opted to play Angola instead of Swaziland in a friendly after indecision on the part of the latter over whether or not to play the African champions on January 5.
Swaziland earlier backed out of an agreement to play Zambia in Johannesburg citing that they could not raise a team in the absence of their Belgium coach Valerie Billen who was away in Europe on his Christmas break.
Zambia will now instead meet play Angola on January 5 at Dobsonville Stadium in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, Stopilla Sunzu joined Zambia’s training camp in Johannesburg on New Year’s Eve.
Sunzu missed the initial four days of training after he was holed-up in Lusaka awaiting his UK visa to be issued for his trip to tie-up a deal at Reading.
“He has missed eight training sessions and the coach hopes he can catch-up with the rest of the team now before he goes after January 7,” Faz sources told LT Sports.
Sunzu is expected to rejoin Zambia in Nelspruit at least a week before Zambia’s Group C opening game against Ethiopia on January 21.
Meanwhile, TP Mazembe midfielder Rainford Kalaba could be rested for all of Zambia’s four build-up friendly games despite his recovery from a three-month groin problem.
Team Doctor Joseph Kabungo said that Kalaba will continue to train with the rest of his team mates but indicated that it was too early to rush him back into action.
Kalaba sustained the groin injury on October 10 while in action for his DR Congo side in a 2012 CAF Champions League semifinal first leg game against Tunisia’s Esperance in Lubumbashi.
Go boys, Go!
That’s a better decision Herve..hope the boys are focused
go zambia go
You continue resting him (Kalaba) and don’t cry foul if you discover when its too late that the boy can’t even kick the ball. If he is not fit why can’t you accept and immediately find a formula on how Zambia is going to play without Kalaba.
Am not wishing that he be dropped, but from the look of things this guy is still injured and am not seeing him rocovering in time. At the end of the day, the main purpose of playing friendly matches is to assess the fitness of every player, but if Kalaba who has not played a game since October 10, 2012 is not assessed, then its better to leave him out. Kasheni fye kaleya mukunwa umuti ……………..
Mosi nomba muti?
its worrying to know that kalaba is not yet ready cos he may not be ready anytime before feb 10
I worry about our preparations. We are doing very little. While Nigeria was plain a team in Spain last night
Nigeria played well last night and am afraid if they replicate that form at AFCON we maybe humbled again… Best wishes to Chipolopolo
Relax dude, you should have faith in the management as a true zed be positive for a change,,!
Waiting for the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium game on the 12th GO ZED goooooooo
GO ZAMBIA GO WE ARE BEHIND YOU GUYS, ALL THE BEST…………!
viva chipolopolo viva.. we wil defend the cup.
Go boys go..do not worry about how the so called Nigeria played..every game is a different one..all the best CHIPOLOPOLO
Angola 2-0 zambia @fulltime
Ife means death