Chambeshi Handed Chipolopolo Job

by Staff Reporter

Tuesday Jul 27, 2021. 17:17

Beston Chambeshi has been appointed interim Chipolopolo coach by the Football Association of Zambia.

Chambeshi returns for a third stint as stand-in Chipolopolo coach.

The Nkana coach replaces Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic who left the post by mutual agreement on July 17 after Chipolopolo failed to defend their COSAFA Cup title when they made a first round exit at the tournament held at Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa from July 6-18.

Chambeshi will be assisted by Zesco United coach Mumamba Numba.

“In addition, the executive committee appointed Croatian Aljosa Asanovic as Technical Advisor as part of the technical bench. The reconstituted bench will be in charge for three months,” FAZ spokesperson Sydney Mungala stated.

Asanovic comes on secondment from the Croatia Football Federation through as part of the technical agreement they have with FAZ.

Chambeshi was in charge of Chipolopolo for the 2018 COSAFA Cup when they lost 4-2 in the finals to record six-time champions Zimbabwe.

He returned in 2019 for three away June friendlies against Cameroon that they lost 2-1 in Madrid, Morocco whom they beat 3-2 in Casablanca and Cote d’Ivoire who beat Zambia 4-1 in Doha.

Chambeshi earlier led the Zambia Under-20 national team to victory at the 2016 COSAFA U20 Cup and later lifted the 2017 AFCON U20 title as hosts before they reached the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup quarterfinals in South Korea.

His assistant Numba has been a recurring member of the Chipolopolo bench over the last four years and led the Zambia Under-17 national team to their debut COSAFA U17 Cup triumph in 2017.

Numba is fresh off guiding Zesco United to their ninth league title in his first season at the helm.

Chambeshi’s first official assignment will be September’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B qualifiers against Mauritania away in Nouakchott and Tunisia at home in Ndola.