Defenders Sakala and Chanda give Chambeshi hope

Solomon Sakala of Zambia tackles Carlos Eiubaloof of Guinea Bissau

Wednesday Aug 18, 2021. 09:00

Chipolopolo coach Beston Chambeshi is optimistic with the input defenders Dominic Chanda and Solomon Sakala are showing in training as his bench battles to solve Zambia’s longstanding backline malaise.

Chambeshi has just inherited a team that has not stopped leaking goals under his predecessor Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic in his 27-game reign in which Zambia scored 27 and conceded 23.

Chanda and Sakala are part of 22 home-based Chipolopolo players currently in the second phase of training camp in Lusaka.

The overseas players will join them this weekend in Morocco where Chipolopolo will hold a 10-day training camp ahead of September’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B qualifiers against Mauritania and Tunisia.

“So far so good. At least we are working as a team and the boys are putting in a lot. Right now we are working on our combinations especially in defence,” Chambeshi said.

“We have seen that Solomon and Dominic Chanda are working hard to understand our system, which is a good sign.”

Kabwe Warriors defender Chanda has been a regular since the Micho regime while Sakala has been recalled after a two-year hiatus following a solid second half of the season display at defending FAZ Super League champions Zesco United.

“We have now seen that we have to mend our defence but I think our frontline is not a problem,” Chambeshi said.

“But overall we are happy with the response in training from the players.”

Chipolopolo face Mauritania away in their opening Group B match on September 3 at Stade Municipal in Nouadhibou.

Zambia will later return home to play Tunisia on September 7 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

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