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Mbola Drafted In U-20 Team
IN a desperate bid to ensure Zambia qualifies for the 2013 Africa Youth Championships to be held in Algeria, the Under 20 soccer team coaching bench has drafted 19-year-old Emmanuel Mbola into the team to face Mali in the return leg on October 6 in Bamako.
And Chipolopolo coach Herve Renard and his assistant Patrice Beaumelle will accompany the team to Mali before connecting to South Africa via Paris to start preparations for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations final round, return leg clash against Uganda set for October 13 in Kampala.
Mbola’s inclusion comes a day after the coaching bench recalled former team captain, Moses Siasumo and Kiizto Cheelo both from TP Mazembe, Chishimba Changala of Nkwazi, Mwansa Chirwa from City of Lusaka and Kacholo Banda from Young Zanaco.
Left-back Mbola would thus join up with Siasumo, Cheelo and Changala who had graduated earlier to the Under 23 soccer team squad but have made a dramatic comeback following Zambia’s unimpressive 2-all draw against Mali at Arthur Davies in Kitwe at the weekend.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Spokesperson Erick Mwanza announced Mbola’s inclusion during a media briefing at Football House in Lusaka saying the FC Porto player was eligible to play having been born in 1993.
Mwanza said it would be Mbola’s chance to play in the Under-20 team having had to feature in the senior team before playing in the Olympic Squad that failed to qualify for both the Maputo 2011 All Africa Games and the London 2012 Olympic Games qualifiers.
He said the coaching staff identified loopholes in the defence during the 2-2 draw against Mali and thus the need to beef up the squad going into the return match saying; the association was not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring that the team was adequately prepared for the decisive match.
“We attach great importance to the team and we want to ensure we qualify for the Youth championships and subsequently reach the semi finals and clinch a World Cup place. We have also taken the necessary precautions to ensure the team safety while in Mali,” he said.
He said FAZ was indebted to Government through Foreign Affairs Minister, Given Lubinda for sending an advance party to ensure that everything was in place ahead of the game adding that so far reports from Bamako indicated that it was safe to play the game in that country.
Meanwhile, about 250 referees countrywide are expected to sit to sit for examinations this weekend in seven provinces and upon completion the participants would be awarded with a Certificate of Competence Class Three.
35 applicants will write their exams in Choma, Southern Province; Eastern Province has 35 applicants who will sit for their exams in Katete, Lusaka has 58, Mansa 23, Kitwe 45, Solwezi 34 and Kaoma five; marking will be done at Football House in Lusaka.
And Mwanza warned that that no coach without a CAF level C-Licence would be allowed to train or sit on the bench during the 2013 soccer team.
He said clubs have been equally warned on the need to employ coaches who have the needed qualifications or indeed send their trainers for various training to attain the C-Licence which will become mandatory next season.
Posted by
sikiriti niku bed
September 28, 2012 at 8:34 am
haaa mbola is still under 20..ummm pali nkani apo
love
September 28, 2012 at 9:00 am
if the coach says his under 19 who are we to say no he he he he he
Chimbwi
September 28, 2012 at 10:00 am
still under 20? boza.
Bum Bum
September 28, 2012 at 10:54 am
They should have assembled a very good team starting with the first leg instead of leaving it to chance.
FTJ
September 28, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Mbola started playing for Chipolopolo senior team 5 years after completing grade 12. And he has since been a regular for not less than 4 years. In Zambia, boys complete grade 12 at an average age of 18 years old. So 18 + 4 + 5 = 27. Mbola’s age pazzle is the most difficult to solve !!!
KC
September 28, 2012 at 8:35 pm
In 2010, at AFCON in Angola, Mbola was 19. Two years later, he is still 19. We will definitely be disqualified even if we manage to beat Mali. What a waste.
mwaki
September 29, 2012 at 7:54 am
does it mean mbola never grows, he is stuck obtuse same age?
Abakonzi
September 29, 2012 at 9:39 am
I agree with most comments above,if Mbola reached grade 12 then surely can he still be 19yrs.How many times can someone still be under 19yrs.Guys ba FAZ tulebako serious this boy shud be above 19yrs and truth be told the boy is a good player.
Abakonzi
September 29, 2012 at 9:42 am
If FAZ insist that this boy is 19yrs then for all the years he has played for zambia FAZ is guilty for Child Labour Crimes
Katata
September 29, 2012 at 9:56 am
Ngamulimakula Munzinkala chabe.Nanga chani chababa.Let the boy play
Air Mukwai_
September 29, 2012 at 11:47 am
mbola didn’t complete g12. he went to play professional f/ball at the age of 16 and at 17 he went to tp-mazambian. at 18 he stayed off active f/ball due to wrangle of signing two contracts. at present he must be 19-20 yrs. let the boy play for mother zambia…
one zambia,one nation.
October 1, 2012 at 12:33 am
air mukwai,i conqua with u.thoz wu fil z old,let them com en play.the boy z talented.evin if ther wer ege cheatin tulelaba ku fintu bane,z not da only one.