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Sports Reporter
ZAMBIAN coach Wedson Nyirenda has called eight foreign-based players for the Four Nations tournament in Ndola next week where they will get the ball rolling against neighbours and bitter rivals Zimbabwe. Nyirenda has announced a very strong squad for the tournament, which also features South Africa and Angola, showing that the coach is not taking the tournament lightly.
The squad includes Patson Daka, who was recently named the best young player in African football by CAF, who plays for Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg.
Daka was the star of the show when Zambia won the CAF Under-20 AFCON tournament on home soil last year. He was named the best player at the tournament and went on to star at the FIFA Under-20 Championships in South Korea.
He is highly-rated and has since graduated into the Chipolopolo first team and scored in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Nyirenda also named three other Europe-based stars in Enock Mwepu (FC Liefering, Austria), Fashion Sakala (Spartak Moscow, Russia) and Emmanuel Banda (KV Oostende, Belgium).
The South Africa-based duo of Justin Shonga, who has been a hit at Orlando Pirates since joining them recently and Rodrick Kabwe of Ajax Cape Town also make the squad. Shonga recently won the club’s Goal of the Month prize for February.
The Zambian sharp-shooter’s stunning long-range finish against Chippa United in a 4-2 league win for the Buccaneers was voted the club’s best goal for the month. He scored twice in that match.
Shonga was also wanted by Mamelodi Sundowns, who even contemplated taking legal action over the way Pirates secured the striker when he was set to join them.
The tournament will be held at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Zambian squad
Goalkeepers
Toaster Nsabata (Zanaco), Allan Chibwe (Power Dynamos), Moses Mapulanga (Nkana)
Defenders
Bornwell Silengo (Zesco United), Jimmy Nakena (Zanaco), Ziyo Tembo (Zanaco), Solomon Sakala (Zesco United), Isaac Shamujompa (Buildcon), Simon Silwimba (Zesco United), Adrian Chama (Green Buffaloes), Ngosa Nsunzu (Buildcon), John Mwangeni (Nkana),
Midfielders
Jack Chirwa (Green Buffaloes), Misheck Chaila (Zesco United), John Chin’andu (Zesco United), Mwila Phiri (Lusaka Dynamos), Charles Zulu (Zanaco), Ernest Mbewe (Zanaco), Enock Mwepu (Liefering), Emmanuel Banda (KV Oostende), Rodrick Kabwe (Ajax Cape Town), Salulani Phiri (Polokwane City) Augustine Mulenga (Orlando Pirates)
Strikers
Chanda Mushili (Buildcon), Martin Phiri (Zanaco), Lazarous Kambole (Zesco United), Brian Mwila (Buildcon), Justin Shonga (Orlando Pirates), Ronald Kampamba (Nkana), Fashion Sakala (Spartak Moscow)
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