MULWANDA LUPIYA, Ndola
NATIONAL team coach George Lwandamina is worried first-choice goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene is confined to the bench at his club but is confident his reflexes will be dealt with ahead of next Wednesday’s 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo- Brazzaville.
Mweene (right), who plies his trade at South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, has been relegated to third choice at the Pretoria-based side.
“The concern is that he is not playing and he is our number one and we have a very good goalkeeper. I am sure his reflexes will be dealt with when he joins camp,” said Lwandamina in an interview yesterday after a training session at Trade Fair Ground in Ndola.
Ugandan goalkeeper Dennis Onyango is first choice, relegating Mweene to third in the pecking order at Sundowns. Zesco United custodian Jacob Banda, Zanaco’s Racha Kola and Kabwe
Warriors’ Lawrence Mulenga are second, third and fourth choices at the national team.
Lwandamina also said the Africa inter-club championship fixtures will disturb the national team preparations for the clash against Congo-Brazzaville.
Zesco United travel to Guinea to face Horoya in the CAF Champions League first round return leg while Zanaco host Zimbabwean side Harare City in the Confederation Cup.
Chipolopolo players from Democratic Republic of Congo side TP Mazembe, Sundowns and Congo-Brazzaville outfit AC Leopards are also in action this weekend in the CAF Champions League.
Meanwhile, five Buffaloes and three Eagles players have joined the Chipolopolo.
The Buffaloes players are Christopher Katongo, Stephen Kabamba, Buchizya
Mfune, Adrian Chama and Jackson Chirwa while Spencer Sautu, Adamson Mulawo and Mwila Phiri are from Eagles.
The eight missed Monday’s session due to their involvement in Sunday’s Super Division Week One match in Choma.
The arrival of the eight brings the number of players in camp to 19.
Meanwhile, the selling of tickets for next Wednesday’s match between Zambia and Congo-Brazzaville will start on Saturday, DIANA MUTAKAFIMBO reports.
Football Association of Zambia communications manager Nkweto Tembwe said during a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the tickets will be sold at post offices in Lusaka, Copperbelt and a few selected towns.
Nkweto said the charges have been pegged at K300, K150, K100, K30 and K25 for VIP, lower west, upper west, east, north and south stands, respectively.