Zambia Starts preps for COSAFA mini-tourney

STEPHEN PHIRI reports:

ZAMBIA today start her preparations for the COSAFA Castle Cup mini-tournament and the 2008 Ghana Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a tricky  international friendly tie against Botswana at the National Stadium in Gaborone.

Smarting from a dismal performance at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, coach Ben Bamfuchile has a lot of work to do to fire past the Zebras.

What more with the 0-2 loss to Super Division Kitwe United in a training session last Wednesday which exposed the squad’s weaknesses, Bamfuchile and his assistant George Lwandamina should play their cards right if the preparations for the regional championship are to take a step further.

In the mini-tournament to be hosted by Namibia on the weekend of July 21 and 22, Zambia will face Malawi while the hosts have a date against Seychelles. The winners of the two games will meet in the final.

With such a background, George Kolala is expected to start in goal although he faces stiff competition from junior internationals Davy Kaumbwa and Rabson Mucheleng’anga of Green Buffaloes an Power Dynamos respectively.

Kennedy Nketani is a sure starter as sweeper and is likely to be partnered by  Forest Rangers’ Nyambe Mulenga, Lawrence Phiri and Dennis Banda both of Buffaloes.

Power’s Francis Kasonde, Sam Simukonda of Nkwazi are expected to man the right and left flanks respectively.

But the Nketani-led defence should be above discipline because the Zebras will be boosted by the return of South African-based striker, Diphetogo 'Dipsy' Selolwane.

Selolwane is likely to be partnered by Malepa 'Chippa' Bolelang who is the Mascom Premier League top goal scorer with 21 goals.

Recently there has been an outcry from the Botswana public public that the Zebras need to test their strength before the regional assignments and the two strikers would be in a hurry to deliver.

Botswana will play Madagascar in Gaborone during this weekend’s Cosafa mini-tournament. The other game will see South Africa entertaining Swaziland.

In midfield, debuntant Sebastian Mwansa, Lameck Njovu and veteran Numba Mumamba who will be playing his last game for Zambia after announcing his retirement are expected to supply balls to the strikers.

But if Bamfuchile decides otherwise he could use Lusaka Dynamos’ Donwell Yobe and debutant Yonah Mwango in place of any of the three players.

Upfront, Adubelo Phiri, the 2005 Super Division  Footballer-Of-The-Year and joint top scorer will have to be at his best if he is to be featured.

Phiri has only scored once for Red Arrows this season. Last season, Phiri ganged in 24 goals.

Phiri will face stiff competition from debuntant Given Singuluma of National Assembly. Singuluma has so far scored six times this season.

Debutants Elson Mkandawire of Power Dynamos and Zannaco’s Winstone Klaengo are the other players Bamfuchile could use if the chips are down.