Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:48:27 +0000
… Govt says it is sure Zambia will qualify to the 2017 South Korea Junior World Cup Championships
By GRACE CHAILE-LESOETSA
MINISTER of Sport Moses Mawere is positive the Zambia under-20 national team will qualify to the 2017 South Korea World Cup Championship.
Speaking when he met the team and technical bench at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka yesterday, Mawere reaffirmed Government’s support and called for positive results from the squad.
He challenged the under-20 national team to put up a positive performance to reciprocate for the K67 million that Government will spend to host the tournament which starts next month.
“I am positive Zambia will qualify to the Korea World Cup. Government is pumping in K67 million towards the preparation of the team and hosting of the tournament. The team will be camped in Spain to get the experience and exposure, and all that is coming from the K67 million. We hope the team will left the title too,” he said.
The minister said Government was providing a platform for the players to build their professional careers.
“Sports can create careers and the junior AfCON is the opportunity to shine and attract international clubs. I am happy with the discipline that the players have exhibited so far and I hope it is maintained,” he said.
Mawere revealed that preparations of the tournament were progressing well and expressed happiness with the committees’ set-up.
He disclosed that he was expecting an improved publicity of the event.
“The committees should work extra hard to ensure the event is widely publicised locally and across Africa. We need to attract as many spectators as possible,” he said.
Meanwhile FAZ president Andrew Kamanga announced that the team was expected to play Atletico Madrid and Barcelona u-20 teams while in Spain.
Kamanga also revealed that the association had clinched two international friendlies to be played in Zambia.
“We want the team to get as much exposure and experience as possible. Winning the title isn’t an easy task, hence the need for adequate preparations. Upon their return from Spain, the team will play South Africa in an international friendly in Zambia on February 8,”he said.
The junior Chipolopolo are scheduled to leave for Spain tomorrow.
The under-20 AfCON will run from February 26 to March 12 with the host venues being Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa and National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
Zambia is in Group A with Egypt, Guinea and Mali.
