By MICHAEL MIYOBA
THE Zambia National Futsal team has finalized its European tour by winning the four teams International futsal championship after beating Futsal Celano 3-0 in the final played on Saturday in L’Aquila, Italy.
James Mwila, Chota Chileshe and Prince Lungu scored the crucial goals which handed the Andrea Cristoforetti drilled their second trophy a week after scooping the 2023 September Cup Porec in Croatia.
The International Futsal Trophy organized by the committee of the provincial Italian Sports Center (CSI) saw Zambia winning the tournament with an unbeaten record.
“The European tour went very well and I am impressed with the performance of the boys. We won the tournament and I must say that this has been one of the best performance because we played against teams with Brazilian and Argentine players,” National futsal team head coach Andrea Cristoforetti said.
The performance in L’Aquila central Italy also excited assistant gaffer Witson Nyirenda who applauded his boys for concluding the European tour without defeat.
“The experience was amazing because it gave as an understanding of where we are as a national team and where we should improve,” Nyirenda said.
In the semifinals, Zambia humiliated CUS L’Aquila Futsal Club 10-0 to set up a meeting with Futsal Celano who had beaten Avezzano in the semifinals to meet Zambia.
While in Italy the Zambia National Futsal team also took part in a seminar titled “Lifestyles and experiences, Italy-Zambia at the University of Aquila, in the Ance Auditorium.
“The interaction between the two cultures was one of the most significant moments of the event. Zambian athletes and students mixed with each other and very naturally sparked an intercultural exchange that brought the two worlds together,” Cristoforetti said.
Team Zambia is expected to arrive back home in the afternoon today after representing the country diligently in Europe.
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