By GWEN CHIPASULA –

THE Zambia women Under-20 team has suffered a second injury scare within three days with midfielder Osala Kaleo now a doubt for this Sunday’s FIFA 2016 Papua New Guinea World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
Zambia will host South Africa in the second round, first of the qualifiers at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Coach Oswald Mutapa Jnr said Kaleo, the Red Arrows player, who missed yesterday’s training session at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka, had a recurring knee injury.
On Saturday, Elizabeth Nachivula hurt herself when the Under-20 side was playing Chibolya Academy in a training match and she is already doubtful for the Sunday assignment.
Mutapa, however, remained hopeful that the players would recover in time for the game. The team’s medical team led by physiotherapist Bwalya Chabu said the injury was not critical and hoped the players would recover fast.
“Osala has a recurring knee injury and is not training for now. But she will be back on the pitch in two days or so and we hope she will be ready for Sunday’s game. The injury is not critical and we hope for the best,” Chabu said.
Despite the injury setbacks, Mutapa said preparations were on schedule and was optimistic of scoring a positive result and put one foot into the final qualifying round for the FIFA Under-20 Women World Cup.
“We are just training hard because that is the only way we can win. Talking can be easy but implementing and delivering becomes a difficult issue. We are going to make it to the next round because we are aiming at winning,” he said.
South Africa’s under-20 women’s team coach Elizabeth Migchesen on Sunday unveiled her 24 member squad for the clash.
The South Africans are expected in the country on Thursday.