FAZ chief hails Chipolopolo

Moses Chimfwembe in LUSAKA
FOOTBALL Association of Zambia vice-president, Boniface Mwamelo, has expressed confidence that the African Nations Championship squad will become a formidable side in future. Mwamelo said after watching the Zambia Developmental squad side beat Botswana 2-0 to advance to the final round of qualifiers that some of the players in the squad had the potential to excel and replace some old players in the Chipolopolo.
He said the young players had shown strong character and a winning mentality which he believes was a key indicator of a bright future for Zambian football.

Mwamelo said Zambia had a good reservoir of players capable of taking up the challenge of competing favourably at the international stage and challenged the CHAN squad to remain disciplined both on and off the pitch in order for them to compete for places in the senior? team.

He said the 2013 Cosafa Cup and the CHAN qualifiers presented a good platform for locally based players to push their way through to the senior team.
“It will be a big motivation for the players to make it to South Africa because most of them stand a better chance of breaking into the senior national team.
“They have shown great determination to play for the country and I think they have all it takes to be in the senior team,” he said.

And Mwamelo is confident that the team would qualify for the CHAN tournament to be held in South Africa next year despite having a tough final round encounter against former Cosafa Cup champions, Zimbabwe.

He said this weekend’s game against Zimbabwe will not be an easy one and called on the players to replicate the form that saw them win the Cosafa Cup final beating the Warriors 2-0 at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

Meanwhile, the team regrouped in Lusaka yesterday to prepare for Sunday’s final round CHAN qualifier against Zimbabwe in Harare.
Zambia beat Botswana 2-0 on Saturday to seal a final round berth 3-1 on aggregate while Zimbabwe drew with Mauritius 1-1 at Rufaro in Harare but thanks to their 3-0 win over the islanders in the first leg progressed 4-1 on aggregate.?

Coach Herve Renard has maintained his 20-man squad which did battle against Botswana for the decisive qualifier against the Warriors. —Times of Zambia.