U-17 women’s team to camp in Florida

THE Zambia Under-17 women’s football team will on February 24 leave for a training camp in Florida to prepare for the FIFA 2014 World Cup finals to be hosted by Costa Rica.

Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) spokesperson Erick Mwanza said at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the Albert Kachinga coached side will set up the final part of preparations in the United States before flying into Costa Rica.

Mwanza said the team will jet into the host country on March 10, slightly a week before the competition kicks off at the tournament that will see Zambia play Venezuela, Costa Rica and Italy in Group A.

“The team is shaping up well and Chipolopolo coach Patrice Beaumelle is supposed to take the team through some fitness tests tomorrow (today) to ascertain the players’ fitness levels following their training the past weeks,” he said.

Mwanza expressed confidence that the involvement of Beaumelle will add value in ensuring that the team was well prepared for the World Cup finals where Zambia will be making an historic appearance.

Meanwhile, Mwanza said the senior women team takes on Tanzania on February 14 at Nkoloma Stadium in the Namibia 2014 Africa Women Championships with the return leg set for two weeks later in Dar-Es-Salaam.

He said 27 players have been called into camp under caretaker coach Charles Bwale and is been assisted by Kaluba Kangwa, Enala Simbeye and Kalumba Mpunga. Mwanza said the association was expecting the team to qualify for the finals.

Times of  Zambia

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