By SANDRA MWILA –
OUT-OF-FAVOUR strikers Jacob Mulenga and Collins Mbesuma have been handed shock recalls to the Chipolopolo ahead of next weekend’s Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
According to a list expected to be released by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and made available to the Times yesterday, stand-in trainer George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina has axed Southampton ‘flop’ Emmanuel Mayuka from his team of foreign-based players summoned for the September 4 clash.

. Mulenga

Jacob, who last played for the Chipolopolo during the 2015 AFCON qualifiers, is enjoying good form in his Shijiazhuang Yongchang side in China, scoring nine goals but it remains to be seen if the lanky striker will honour the call-up going by the treatment he has received.
Mbesuma is equally having a good season with Mpumalanga Black Aces in the South African Premier League but has been overlooked since the 2015 AFCON qualifier as he was not called for the finals in Equatorial Guinea as well as during the friendly matches.
Lwandamina, who is targeting to pick maximum points off Kenya, has had no choice but to recall Mulenga who has been in great form.
The technical bench has returned faith in Russia-based midfielder Chisamba Lungu, who in June this year said he felt insulted to be left on the bench when he was a regular at his club.
Other notable foreign-based stars expected to be summoned are skipper Rainford Kalaba and his vice Nathan Sinkala, both of TP Mazembe, along with defender Stoppila Sunzu of FC Lille in France.
Others are goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene of Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba of Wedi Degla in Egypt and Davies Nkausu of Bloemfontein Celtic (South Africa).
Meanwhile, Lwandamina said he was ready to lead the team against Kenya if an expatriate coach would not be employed by then.
Lwandamina told journalists at the Heroes National Stadium yesterday that he had been coach for a long time and was ready for the task ahead.

. Mbesuma

He said his coaching record was there to prove his capabilities and that he was a qualified instructor who had trained many coaches in the Premier League.
“I have been in the coaching job for some time. Moreover, I have coached most of the coaches in the Premier League and I am doing well. My record is there to prove for itself,” Lwandamina said.
Uncertainty has surrounded the employing of an expatriate coach as the Government is still lobbying for funds from the corporate world to pay him.
Lwandamina said he, like any Zambian, expected the Chipolopolo to pick up maximum points against Kenya and expressed happiness with the commitment from the players in camp.
“The wish of every coach is for his players to perform well and collect maximum points. We will work with the available players to get a good result. So far so good, their response in training has been overwhelming and their fitness is okay,” he said.
He said there was room for new players in the national team if they could prove their worth and add value because his aim was to assemble a strong squad.