Bonetti unveils squad to face Uganda in friendly
By Sports Reporter
ZAMBIA soccer team coach Dario Bonetti has unveiled a 24-member squad of locally based players to go into residential camp on Sunday ahead of the international friendly match against Uganda set for the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala on August 11.
The 24-locally assembled squad would be joined by contingent of foreign based players as Bonetti gets to have a really feel of Zambian football in a preparatory match ahead of the September 4 2012 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against the Comoros Islands in Lusaka.
FAZ communications manager Erick Mwanza who released the names during a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday said the association has also organised a Copperbelt against Midlands select match on Wednesday to enable Bonetti and his coaching bench assess as many players as possible.
Mwanza said the coach has so far identified 20 players while the remaining four would be announced later while the foreign legion would be expected as per FIFA rules to report for camp at least 48 hours before the match against Uganda.
And Bonetti said he would bring a mixed flair of football to the Zambian game and people should not just expect the defensive approach that the Italians were renowned for playing.
He said would ensure that the team defends and at the same time play attacking football adding that he would introduce tactics that would be applicable to ensuring that the team gets the desired results.
“I understand the anxiety out there, people want to know if I would employ the Italian system of play but just know that I would introduce an attacking and defensive play because there is no way you can only defend without attack and vice versa,” he said.
Those called to camp are goalkeeper Raja Kola (Zanaco), Jacob Banda (Zesco United), Mike Poto (Green Buffaloes) and Danny Munyao (Red Arrows).
Defenders are Billy Mwanza (Zesco United), Dennis Banda (Green Buffaloes), Jimmy Chisenga (Arrows), Nyambe Mulenga (Zesco), Francis Kasonde (Power Dynamos) and Emmanuel Mbola (Yerevan Pyunik).
Joseph Sitali (Power), Rainford Kalaba (Uniao De Leira), Kennedy Chola (Buffaloes), Rabby Lwambula (Nkana), Maunga Kabuku (Kabwe Warriors) and Kennedy Mudenda (Power) are the midfielders.
The strikers are Ignatius Lwipa (Zanaco), Enock Sakala (Zesco), Felix Sunzu (Konkola Blades) and Stanley Banda (Arrows).
The foreign based players include Kennedy Mweene and Kalililo Kakonje, Joseph Musonda, Chintu Kampamba, Hichani Himoonde, Jacob Mulenga, Roger Kola, Christopher and his brother Felix Katongo, Emmanuel Mayuka, Fwayo Tembo, Noah Chivuta, William Njovu, Stopilla Sunzu while Kalaba and Kasonde are already in the country.
