Under-17 preps in visa hitch, departure delayed

25/02/2014

ZAMBIA under-17 national team players Martha Tembo (left) and Memory Phiri duel during training at Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka yesterday. – Picture by ANGELA MWENDA.

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THE under-17 women national team’s preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Costa Rica have hit a snag following the postponement of the team’s outing to the United States of America due to a visa hitch.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) secretary general George Kasengele said in Lusaka that the team that was scheduled to leave for Miami yesterday, will only depart on Thursday.
Kasengele said FAZ is working round-the-clock to ensure the players get visas by tomorrow.
“The team is unable to leave today [yesterday] and not even tomorrow, but they will definitely go before Friday,” he said.
The junior She-polo polo will be in Miami for intensive training before heading to Costa Rica.
Zambia are in Group A alongside Italy, Venezuela and hosts Costa Rica.
And midfielder Irene Lungu, who scored five goals during the qualifiers, is eager to make an impact at the World Cup finals set for March 15 to April 4.
“My target at the tournament is to finish among the top scorers. I did it during the qualifiers and I can do it again,” Lungu said.
Lungu wants to use the tournament to show her skill to foreign teams.
She wants to play professional football in North Korea.
Under-17 coach Albert Kachinga yesterday took the players for a workout at Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, National women’s team coach Charles Bwale has declared his squad ready for battle in Friday’s Africa Women Championship first round return leg against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.
Bwale said in Lusaka yesterday that all the players are geared for the match.
The team is expected to leave for Dar es Salaam on Thursday.
“All is well in camp. The girls are looking forward to the return leg and we are ready for the match,” Bwale said.
The former Mufulira Wanderers, Nkana and Green Buffaloes defender said the technical bench has worked on the weaknesses exposed in the first leg.
Zambia beat Tanzania 2-1 on February 14 at Lusaka’s Nkoloma Stadium and a goalless draw will see the She-polopolo cruising to the second round.
“The first leg is gone. We have to work hard to win the return leg. We will not dwell on the first leg results. Our aim is to win and progress to the next round,” Bwale said.
The Africa Women Championship finals will be held in Namibia in November.