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Major Blow: Kalaba Ruled Out Of Crucial Final AFCON Qualifier Against Uganda This Saturday
Star midfielder Rainford Kalaba will not make the team for Zambia’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Uganda after sustaining a groin injury during club commitment on Sunday.
Kalaba suffered the injury when he featured against Esperance of Tunisia who stayed on course for a second consecutive Orange CAF Champions League title by forcing a 0-0 draw at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo Sunday in the semi-finals.
Kalaba is ruled out of action for over seven days and will only resume light training after the weekend Zambia would have played Uganda in a decisive final round, return leg qualifier at Namboole Stadium in Kampala.
The news is a huge blow to coach Herve Renard’s team after they set up base in South Africa on Sunday where they started getting ready for this Saturday’s clash.
Sources disclosed that Kalaba this morning went to the clinic for medication.
In an interview, the Zambian playmaker said he was disappointed that he wont be able to feature for his country but was confident that his teammates will produce a good result against Uganda.
As the Zambian legion at TP Mazembe players were boarding their flight out of Lubumbashi to Johannesburg this morning, Kalaba remained behind in the Democratic Republic of Congo where medical staff were attending to his groin injury.
In the same game, Zambia’s Africa Cup of Nations-winning defender Stoppila Sunzu was sent off during the closing stages in Southern Congolese mining city Lubumbashi after being cautioned a second time and is automatically barred from the return game.
His dismissal in a fiery clash that produced four yellow cards to each team completed a disappointing afternoon for Mazembe, who thrashed Esperance 5-0 at home in the first leg of the 2010 final.
The Tunisians comfortably contained the home team during the first half, but had a few scares after half-time as Mazembe increased the tempo in search of a first-leg advantage.
Unmarked Mbwana Samata nodded just over, goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia pushed away a stinging shot, and Ngandu Kasongo squandered a great chance to break the deadlock by firing wide in stoppage time.
Posted by Editor
on October 8, 2012. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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Poe
October 8, 2012 at 1:47 pm
This is all bkoz of poor PF policies, strategically scheming the exit of chipolopolo from afcon..Why can this Gvt support meaningful developmental activities…
metal
October 8, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Poe what are you talking about? the game was played in Congo yesterday and how does pf come in? you r da pipo who r hindering development in this nation! constructive criticism is welcome but where u misplace ur frustrated and misplaced political opinion onto social matters… its very unfortunate. grow !!!
Chiwanangala
October 8, 2012 at 3:18 pm
are you normal
Ichiselema chansele
October 8, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Am the first to contribute!!! This is sad news. We’ve lost the ”master”. But i always look at things positively, u know… Glass is half full. At least this means one less penalty misser. Be positive.
kopala
October 8, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Too too bad for the Zed team to play wthout Kalaba. He pushes the ball fwd easily than would most of the midfielders. We ll need a 4-4-2 formation or somethn closer to that. I pray that he travels and be assessed again by close of week…
bob
October 8, 2012 at 2:08 pm
Too bad,But we are confident the replacement will be found,meanwhile mbesuma scored a brase yesterday.
PF
October 8, 2012 at 2:12 pm
@Poe really? wat has the govt got to do with Kalaba’s injury…Comeon be realistic.
Amuna Onzuna
October 8, 2012 at 2:28 pm
In his place, we shall have William Njobvu, he is sometimes damn good. Anyone who saw him play in that game against S.Korea will agree
shikulu
October 8, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Our bad omen has started as we approach Saturday 13/10/12, day of the match. Next we shall hear of Mweene,Chisamba or Mayuka as having been injured in training. Kalaba is a very dependable player for Zambia and we cannot afford to miss him. Was it witchcraft by Congo since they are also an interested party.
Ndate
October 8, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Find a capable replacement fast fast HR,bring in Kola or Singuluma.Maybe it will be a first start for Sakuwaha.Poe………….frustrated and disgruntled,dejected,half brained character,what has this got to do with the government in power?
Matako Mabotu
October 8, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Poe, you were just in good time to talk about Kalaba’s issue unfortunately, you switched your mind to PF. What has PF got to do with Kalabas injury? can you find better ways of constructing your words so we understand what you had wanted to say.
isaac
October 8, 2012 at 4:01 pm
One wonders the cogitating capability of one POE. How does PF comes in. After all it is PF that made us proud by winning the AFCON. Since Zambia was created,she had never seen AFRICA CUP it is PF WHO DID US PROUD.
chikola joseph
October 8, 2012 at 4:33 pm
We ar realy behind u African champs,go guys fight & conquer.
Zico
October 8, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Sad indeed 4 our lad.Watched da game en was really crucial.Without him,renard,prepare 4 our downfall,
Eric
October 8, 2012 at 4:53 pm
If Renard could stop being over-biased he would co-opt Clifford; he keeps the ball well & runs just as well as Rainford. Whatever the case we have to chop down the bloody cranes, they might be undefeated at home but they’ve never featured at the Afcon either which shows that they are over rated!!
Eihsan
October 9, 2012 at 7:39 pm
I TOTALLY agree with you: Clifford can be a very good pair or replacement to Kalaba… Herve needs to consider that if not now, but in future!
Tupac
October 8, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Polo yako (poe)you think you get our attention?Wabe itole chikala wemwana wancushi.Kalaba is ok mutsazinama bafikala.
BIG MARSTE
October 8, 2012 at 5:26 pm
@poe. I guess you are a very disgrunted man who has anthing constractive to offer to thing Nation and the young ones who are coming up. jst how can u bring in pf when we are talking about kalaba’s injurely. I can’t really relate the two. By the way if you not a disgrunted man then you must be mad if not mad then you are a foooooool…
mosquito
October 8, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Go Boys Fight and Conquer zambia forward politics behind one zambia one nation
Dread man
October 8, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Renald should put Chisamba Lungu in the heart of the mid field.I expect nothing but a win.If anything I have started making arrangements of which friend to stay with in SA for AFCON.And of koshi I cant watch Small teams in SA if Chipolopolo doesnt go.All the best Chipolopolo.Kalaba boi get well soon and we gona miss u!!
memish
October 8, 2012 at 6:42 pm
first blogger aitaya,poe
top kat
October 8, 2012 at 7:20 pm
sudan 2-nil win over zambia in world cup qualifier nullified by fifa!!!
JSK
October 8, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Its high time we started identifying more of swift players like Kalaba and Clifford from everywhere in Zambia and not only C/Belt and Lusaka.
pompizo
October 8, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Day of good and bad news. We get Sudan points. Kalaba injured. Jacob Mulenga’s father dies.
chongo Musonda
October 8, 2012 at 8:46 pm
The good thing is we now for the first time going to the world cup fifa has given us the3 points from Sudan
Luapula Fish
October 9, 2012 at 12:45 am
There is no official statement from FAZ OR TP to confirm an injury.If its not very serious ,he can play just like he played against Ghana and Sudan when he was carrying an injury
Tonga Undetr Oath
October 9, 2012 at 9:45 am
Poe uli muhuba huba. Very ******. Swebo tatuyandi malabishi. Nthoni yako.
bexx
October 9, 2012 at 11:13 am
Kalaba will be missed in this coming game indeed.
Kelly Moti
October 9, 2012 at 11:18 am
Mr. Poe are you related to Mr. Proud of Garden compound, You are out of topic can’t you see.
FTJ
October 9, 2012 at 1:31 pm
May be Renard can now call Clifford Mulenga….???!!!
chiimba the fourth
October 9, 2012 at 3:32 pm
lets accept the fact that Kalaba is far much better than any zambian player in the attacking midfield role, it is a big blow for zambia and i can asure u that his absence will be missed. however, i hope TP Mazembe is not keeping him 4 Esparance game in Tunisia coz i watched the TP game and Kalaba was just substituted towards the end of the game and did not show any signs of being injured;money can do anything, but if it is true. get well soon our lad
Fancy
October 9, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Chansa and nathan sinkala in mid then cliford mulenga nd felix katongo in tha wings…. I think that can help
Mwila crook
October 9, 2012 at 11:08 pm
This is a team of losers going to Uganda to loose.Please buy enough beer so you can drown the sorrows
Coaches
October 10, 2012 at 3:52 pm
Clifford Mulenga should be recalled, Renard what is your problem in zambia we forgive, come on this is just a game why have permanent enemies?