Battle Of Zambezi Set To Mark 20th Gabon Anniversay

The Football Association of Zambia, FAZ has clinched an international friendly match against Southern Africa rivals Zimbabwe to mark the 20th anniversay of the Gabon disaster which swept away the entire national team on the coast Libreville, Gabon.

Though there has not been any official word from Football House, Zambianfootball.co.zm insiders have confirmed that the match is on and is likely to be played on Sunday, April 28th, 2013 at Lusaka’s Nkoloma Stadium.

Earlier on Wednesday, reports from Zimbabwe emerged after Zimbabwe Football Association chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said they were humbled to be invited for the high profile commemoration.

“It’s a special invitation for us to be part of the commemorations to mark the 20th anniversary of the Gabon disaster,” Mashingaidze said.

“The Football Association of Zambia wrote to us and we did acknowledge receipt.”

Mashingaidze added that Zimbabwe were also honoured to have been invited considering one of the crash victims midfielder Derby Makinka was born in Harare and also had a stint there with Darryn T. An entire Zambia team including crew and officials died off the coast of Gabon on April 28, 1993.

The team was on its way to play a 1994 World Cup qualifier against Senegal when a Zambia air force plane chartered for the team plunged into the sea shortly after take-off from Libreville.

Earlier this week, FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya, who revealed this in an interview, said Zambia was scouting for a good opponent for the match. “We would like to play a match but that depends on finding a good opponent,” Bwalya said.

Commemoration of the deceased teamhas always taken the form of wreath-laying at Independence Stadium in Lusaka where the fallen football heroes lie. In 2011, after shunning the 18th memorial anniversary, FAZ announced that it would start commemorating the Gabon disaster every after five years starting with the 20th anniversary. Last year, Chipolopolo won their maiden Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, a country on whose coast the national team perished.

President Michael Sata celebrated the victory with laying wreaths at the burial site.

The Heroes acre (yellow) is were the fallen heroes have been put to rest next to Independence Stadium (green) and behind the Lusaka Stadium which is under construction.

Chipolopolo Boys coach Herve Renard is likely to use local players with Mwense High School grade 12 pupil Shadreck Chinyama likely to earn his first call up after he impressed the Frenchman last week.

Last year, Renard gave another school boy Godfrey Ngwenya his international cap against the same opposition at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium but the move back fired as he only spent only 8 minutes on the pitch after coming on as a subsitute.

Posted by Editor on April 18, 2013. Filed under NEWS, SPORTS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry