Wed, 04 Oct 2017 15:02:05 +0000
By Michael Miyoba
SOCCER fans in Lusaka have welcomed the decision by FAZ to host this year’s under-20 COSAFA Cup tournament scheduled to kick off in December.
On Monday, in a statement issued to Daily Nation Sports by FAZ Communications Manager Desmond Katongo, FAZ announced its willingness to defend the under 20 COSAFA Cup title on home soil, a move which has cheered soccer fans.
Some fans spoken to by Daily Nation Sports said the decision to accept COSAFA’s request to host this year’s under-20 tournament was timely.
Monde Bwembya, a Lusaka-based soccer fan said Zambia was capable of hosting a tournament of the COSAFA magnitude after having managed to host a successful Under-20 AfCON which Zambia won after beating Senegal 2-0 in the final played at the National Heroes Stadium.
“It is exciting for us as soccer fans to learn that we will be able to host another important tournament in December this year,” he said.
Meanwhile, some soccer fans have cautioned FAZ and the Ministry of Sports to settle the debt owed to under-20 players and the under-20 AfCON part time employees who have not been paid their allowances seven months after the tournament.
The Ministry is reported to be owing about K650 000 in allowances for the 18 days the workers worked to ensure that there was sanity and safety at stadiums during the AfCON.
FAZ is reported to be owing about K990, 000 in total allowances for the 22 days the 21 players and 12 officials were at the World Cup in South Korea.
