By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
ALL South African based players summoned for the Chipolopolo camp joined camp yesterday as the team started its final preparations in Johannesburg ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Equatorial Guinea.
Those that joined are SuperSport United defender Davies Nkausu, midfielder Mukuka Mulenga (Bloemfontein Celtic) while keeper Kennedy Mweene did not join the squad as he is believed to be on holiday in Asia.
Team manager Lusekelo Kamwambi said yesterday that the South Africa based players joined up the rest of the squad that left Lusaka on Friday bringing the number of players in camp to 22.
Kamwambi said all players in camp looked sharp in training and ready to fight for places in the final 23-man team that will travel to West-Africa.
“We have received an impressive response from the players in terms of joining camp. Apart from those who left from Zambia, the South Africa based players are all in except Kennedy Mweene who should be join us soon,” he said.
Kamwambi said this now means that just five players were yet to join camp and these include Emmanuel Mayuka (Southampton), the Israel pair of Evans Kangwa and Emmanuel Mbola as well as Stoppila Sunzu who just signed for Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.
He praised the players’ clubs for cooperating with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) ahead of the 2015 AFCON finals which Zambia needs to impress to exorcise the bad memories of the last edition first round elimination.
Zambia is in Group B with former champions Congo DR, Tunisia with Cape Verde being the only team yet to win Africa Cup trophy.
The players in camp are goalkeepers Danny Munyau, Toaster Nsabata and Joshua Titima while the defenders are Bronson Chama, Donshano Malama, Aaron Katebe, Christopher Munthali, Davies Nkausu and Roderick Kabwe.
The midfielders are Nathan Sinkala, Chisamba Lungu, ,Mukuka Mulenga, Kondwani Mtonga, Spencer Sautu, Rainford Kalaba, Bruce Musakanya, Lubambo Musonda with the strikers being Given Singuluma, Ronald ‘Sate-Sate’ Kampamba, Patrick Ngoma, Jackson Mwanza and James Chamanga.
Meanwhile, Jackson Mwanza has expressed delight at getting back to the national team and hopes he will make it into Honour Janza final AFCON squad.
Mwanza said the recall to the national team was more out of the efforts he had put into the league this year where he scored 15 goals to win the golden boot.
“I know expectations are high from the fans and I don’t want to promise heavens except that I will do my best as I have always done and I hope to get to my first Africa cup and get game time there,” he said.
