Striker Collins Mbesuma has been included as a late call-up for Zambia’s friendly international against Togo in Lome this Wednesday.
Mbesuma is expected to join the team in Togo after featuring for his new Turkish club Bursaspor today in a home league game against Galatasaray.
“Collins is a late inclusion in the team and called us yesterday (Saturday) and told us he would be available and fly direct to Togo after playing for his club today (Sunday),” Phiri said today prior to departure for Togo via Nairobi.
Zambia will transit through Ghana on their way to Togo and later travel by road to Lome from Accra where they will land from Nairobi.
Mbesuma joined Bursaspor at the start of this month after a poor two seasons at English Premier League club Portsmouth.
Phiri also disclosed that the bench was trying to secure the services of midfielder Andrew Sinkala and defender Moses Sichone of 2.Bundesliga clubs Parderborn and Kickers Offenbach respectively.
“Wednesday is a Fifa match day for international games and Sinakla and Sichone will not be doing anything on that date,” said Phiri.
“And so the team manager Solly Pandor is trying to see if we can get them to come and play against Togo.”
Mbesuma’s confirmed availability will bring to 8 the number of foreign-based players expected for the Togo friendly.
Phiri said 4 of the 5 South African-based call-ups will fly direct to Accra where they will meet-up with the rest of the team before embarking a one-and-half hour drive overland to Lome.
Winger Clifford Mulenga of South Africa division 2 team Pretoria University FC traveled together with the rest of the squad out of Lusaka this morning after arriving in the country last week.
Defenders Billy Mwanza and Joseph Musonda including goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene plus strikerr Songwe Chalwe are the other South African-based players called up for the game against Togo.
French based Jacob Mulenga of Ligue 2 team Chateauroux and Christopher Katongo of Danish side Brondby are due to join the team in Lome by Monday
Meanwhile, Phiri has dropped Young Arrows and Zambia Under-20 defender Joseph Zimba due to injury.
Zimba has not recovered from an ankle injury he sustained at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Canada in July during the Young Chipolopolo’s last 16 match against Nigeria.
Also missing from the Togo trip is Power Dynamos striker Elson Mukandawire who was left behind after forgetting his passport back in Kitwe.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, South Africa), Mike Poto (Green Buffaloes), Makasa Mufwaya (Roan United).
Defenders: Dennis Banda, Patrick Masosa (Buffaloes), William Chinyama (Zesco United), Kennedy Nkethani (Zanaco), Patrick Masosa (Buffaloes), Gilbert Kalusa (Lusaka Dynamos),Billy Mwanza, Joseph Musonda (Both Lamotville Golden Arrows, South Africa).
Midfielders: Rainford Kalaba (Zesco United), Kruger Mwansa (Red Arrows), Tom Bakala (Lusaka Dynamos), Allan Mukuka (Mufulira Wanderers), Kennedy Mudenda (Power Dynamos), Clifford Mulenga (Pretoria University FC, South Africa), Lameck Njobvu (Zanaco).
Strikers: Songwe Chalwe (Moroka Swallows, South Africa), Christopher Katongo
(Brondby, Denmark) Enoch Sakala (Zesco United), Ben Mwanza (Roan United), Collins Mbesuma (Bursaspor, Turkey), Jacob Mulenga (Chateauroux, France).
BARCLAYS CUP 1ST ROUND WRAP-UP
Division 1 north promotion chasing team and fallen record 11-time Zambia league champions Nkana FC have reached their second successive cup quarterfinal after beating old foes Kabwe Warriors 1-0 in the first round of the inaugural Barclays Cup played at Nchanga stadium in Chingola on Saturday.
Nkana secured their passage to the last 8 thanks to a 6th minute goal from their DR Congo-born striker Patrick Kabamba who was making his first return to action for the Kitwe team after a work permit hitch.
Saturdays cup win is Nkana’s second this month after reaching the last 8 of the Coca Cola Cup last weekend when they beat another top-flight side this time Young Arrows by a similar margin at Kafubu stadium in Luanshya.
Nkana advanced to the quarterfinals together with Konkola Blades who beat division 2 south side Freedom Rangers 1-0 via a 63rd minute goal scored by Chipulu Chileya in the other 1st round doubleheader match in an earlier kickoff at Nchanga.
And in the second Barclays Cup doubleheader played at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka, they were 1st round wins for Green Buffaloes and Green Eagles.
Buffaloes beat division 2 south team Young Green Eagles 2-0 where the army men enjoyed the early benefit of a Brian Nduluma own-goal in the 8th minute before Ezekiel Lungu put the result beyond doubt five minutes before the end of the game.
But the biggest roarat Nkoloma was reserved for the all-lower league showdown in the lunchtime kickoff between divsion 2 south team Kascol Rangers and division 1 south club Green Eagles when the latter sweptaside the former 6-0.
A brace from Tresford Mhango with goals in the 8th, 31st and 45th minutes plus another one each from Aubrey Zulu and Saem Kamanga in the 35th and 69th minutes saw Green Eagles through to the quarterfinals.