Zambia national soccer team left yesterday with delegation and FAZ Chairman Micheal Mwape promising victory in Zambia’s last lap for a place in the 1994 World Cup final in the opening match against Senegal in Dakar on Sunday.
Mwape said the team which departed EIGHT hours later than scheduled and fresh from a 3-0 win over Mauritius in the Africa Cup run in Curepipe last weekend had promised a repeat performance in Senegal.
“What they promised me is that I can promise you. They want another win away and I think that is what we will get as nation from the players,” said Mwape at the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) side of the Lusaka International Airport.
The team left late because ZAF whose Buffalo transport plane they are using could not get clearance to fly over several countries including Congo for refueling and Ivory Coast where they are scheduled to spend a night before finally landing in Dakar on Thursday morning.
Professional Kalusha Bwalya and Johnstone Bwalya will join the team in Dakar. The side also includes goal wizard Kelvin ‘Malaza’ Mutale, of El Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, his clubmate Derby Makinka and Robert Watiyakeni from South Africa club Dynamos.
Mutale scored a hat-trick in Zambia’s 3-0 win over Mauritius.
The image featured was taken on the eve of the team’s departure to West Africa
Zambia Squad v Senegal
Efford Chabala (goalkeeper), John Soko (defender), Whiteson Changwe (defender), Robert Watiyakeni (defender), Eston Mulenga (midfielder), Derby Makinka (midfielder)
Moses Chikwalakwala (midfielder), Wisdom Mumba Chansa (midfielder), Kelvin “Malaza” Mutale (striker), Timothy Mwitwa (striker), Numba Mwila (midfielder), Richard Mwanza (goalkeeper), Samuel Chomba (defender), Moses Masuwa (striker), Kenan Simambe (defender), Godfrey Kangwa (midfielder), Winter Mumba (defender), Patrick “Bomber” Banda (striker)
Coaching staff
Godfrey “Ucar” Chitalu, Alex Chola, Wilson Mtonga (doctor), Wilson Sakala
Others
Michael Mwape (FAZ Chairman), Nelson Zimba (public servant), Joseph Bwalya Salim (journalist)
Crew
Colonel Fenton Mhone (pilot), Lt Colonel Victor Mubanga (pilot), Lt Colonel James Sachika (pilot), Warrant Officer Edward Nambote (fitter), Corporal Tomson Sakala (steward)
[Times of Zambia/Zambia Daily Mail/Zanis l 28th April, 1993]
Death is such cruel. These players are hard to forget ! Mwitwa,Makinka,Mutale,Banda,Mwila etc. They deserved to live much longer but the Buffalo! We ugandans loved these Zambian players. They played entertaining soccer only to die young in an accident which was avoidable