Forest Rangers host Zanaco in a top-of-the-table Faz  Premier Division Week 7 clash at Dola Hill in Ndola on Saturday.

Defending champions Zesco United,  also on 10 points, will not be in action this weekend after their late arrival on Thursday from Mali where they played Djoliba in the Caf African Champions League.

All three are on 10 points although Zanaco lead on goal difference after five league games played with Forest and Zesco in 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

Zanaco who are unbeaten from their last four games are hoping to maintain their good league run when they visit  promoted Forest who are yet to lose at home this season.

However, a draw at Dola Hill could see 4th placed Green Buffaloes on 9 points go to the top of the table should they beat troubled promoted side Nakambala Leopards at Woodlands Stadium the same afternoon.

Buffaloes have found their rhythm lately with two consecutive league victories since head coach George Lwandamina returned to the helm following his brief absence while on international duty with Zambia in their 2010 World/Africa Cup Group C qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Linos Mwakaza is set for an emotional reunion when his Zamtel side hosts his former club Power Dynamos where he made his name as a player and later was an assistant trainer.

Elsewhere, Konkola Blades host Chambishi in Chililabombwe, Kabwe Warriors visit Young Arrows at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka while at Kafubu Stadium in Luanshya, Roan United await Red Arrows.

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President Rupiah Banda has handed over two Toyota Hilux double cab vehicles and a 30 seater Toyota Coaster minibus worth US$ 155,000 to the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).

The two vehicles, which are worth US$50,000, will be used by Zambia National Soccer Team coach, Herve Renard and his assistant coach, Patrice Beaumile, while the minibus will be used by the soccer team.

Making the handover at State House today, President Banda paid tribute to Toyota Zambia for donating a bus worth US$105,000 and First Quantum Minerals (FQM) for the two vehicles and the both worth US$ 50,000.

The two Toyota Hilux vehicles were bought from the US$475,000, which the President raised from FQM recently.

Mr. Banda noted that the donation of the vehicles and the resolve by FQM to pay salaries for Renard and Beaumile from March this year to July next year, would boost the moral of the football team and the coaching staff.

He said the gesture was a typical kind of Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative in the area of sport.

“What is taking place today is as a result of the PPP initiative in the area of sport,” he said.

The President pointed out that the Zambian people had a passion for soccer , hence his request to the private sector to help government support the national soccer towards qualifying to the 2010 FIFA world cup in South Africa.

“I feel honored and privileged that many companies have responded positively to my appeal to compliment government effort in order to ensure that our national football team qualifies to the world cup,” he said.

Mr. Banda also thanked other companies that have pledged and donated towards the support to the football team.

The companies that have donated include Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) which pledged US$120,000, Zambia Breweries US$140,000, Auto World and Finance Bank which donated K20 million each, Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel, Intercontinental Hotel, Multichoice, Natsave, BP-Zambia, Standard Chartered Bank and other companies.

President Banda has since appealed to other companies to come on help the national soccer team.

And FQM Resident director, Lamaswala Kwalela said although times were hard for the mining industry in Zambia, his company felt duty bound to contribute towards the welfare of the soccer team.

Mr. Kwalela has since urged other companies to join in sponsoring the national soccer team and FAZ.

Meanwhile, Toyota Zambia Managing Director, Andrew Marshall pledged his company’s commitment to support the national team regardless of its performance.

FAZ vice president, Emmanuel Munaile, said the donation marked the turning point of the association that would motivate the national team players and staff to do their best.

Mr. Munaile said “The road ahead is difficult but it is not impossible”.

He sincerely thanked the President for fund raising for the national team and said, “We will not disappoint you”.

Coach Renard also thanked the President and promised best results from the team.

And Sports Minister, Kenneth Chipungu said the national team and the coaching staff will now have no excuse for poor performance in their soccer outings.

ZANIS/KSH/ENDS.

African amateur welterweight champion Hastings Bwalya’s wish to turn professional has now received some strong support from within the fold.

An All-Africa Games Gold medal in 2007 including his crowning as African amateur champion that same year has left Bwalya with a great desire to turn pro despite a disappointing first round exit at the Beijing Olympics.

Bwalya has said he will not be defending his African title this June in Lome, Togo that he won 2007 at the last African Championships held in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

As in all other sports, the mare economics of pro sport have always lured the best and brightest from the amateur ranks at an early age. 

And Southern Province Amateur Boxing Associations (Spaba) general secretary Blackie Mantele has come out in support of  Bwalya, 23, who has dream of turning pro with a contract that will see him move to America in the offing.

“Spaba welcome the move taken by Africa welterweight defending champion Hastings Bwalya to quit amateur ranks due to poor management and also taking into account  that in amateur boxing has no benefits,” Mantele said.

“Let the boy move and they should allow him to turn to the professional ranks so that his family benefit and also that will determine his future.

“Boxers are suffering a lot in this country despite most of them bringing a lot of medals but nothing there are achieving.”

Two months ago, one of Spaba’s best prospects flyweight Cassius Chiyanika of Maamba also decided to turn pro.

Chiyanika was also ejected from the Olympics in the first round after a battling display against Olympic and World Amateur Championship bronze medalist Vincenzo Picardi of Italy who beat him 10-3.

“When you take part in the Olympic Games that is all because those are last tournaments in amateur ranks and one should start thinking of taking up professional boxing because that is where you can market your self,” he said.

“Also one should look at his (Bwalya) age and not to turn pro when you are the age of 30 years.”

Mantele said the trend will continue and he didn’t have to go far for an answer after the ZABF struggled to camp the team ahead of last weeks Zone 6 games and questioned the boxing governing body’s capacity to look into amateur boxers livelihood.

“Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation (ZABF) has lost a lot of dependable boxers who had made impact to the national team, this year another dependable boxer Cassius Chiyanika turned professional citing poor management,” he said.

“Just recently boxers traveled to Lesotho without camping , ZABF told the Associations to camp their respective boxers picked in their provinces waiting for government to release the money was released one week before the just ended tournament in Lesotho.

“However, as long as things continue to be bad with amateur boxing we shall lose out with a lot of good boxers because time is money.

“Consequently  if any boxer decides to quite amateur boxing meaning he has seen something better for his future so one should be allowed.”