By GWEN CHIPASULA –

ISRAEL-based duo of defender Emmanuel Mbola and striker Evans Kangwa are set to miss the crucial 2015 All-Africa Games (AAG) qualifying match against Nigeria this Sunday following their club, Hapoel Ra’anana’s refusal to release them for national duty.
Mbola and Kangwa were scheduled to join the Zambia Under-23 squad in camp this week but have now been embroiled into a club versus country row.
Ra’anana turned down the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) request for the release of the duo for the AAG assignment, saying the match does not fall on a FIFA date.
A desperate FAZ has since written to the club pleading for the release of Mbola and Kangwa despite the fixture falling on a non-FIFA day.

.TEMBWE

FAZ communications manager, Nkweto Tembwe said in an interview yesterday after the team’s morning training session in Lusaka that Ra’anana had told Football House that they would not release Mbola and Kangwa because the game was not on the FIFA calendar day.
Nkweto, however, said the association was still making frantic efforts to convince the club to allow the duo feature for the Zambian Olympic squad.
Coach Fighton Simukonda, who was expecting the duo yesterday, however is still hopeful that the team will perform well even without the services of Mbola and Kangwa.
The Under-23 squad yesterday had a practice match against Premiership side, Nkwazi where the A team drew 2-2 while the national B won 3-1.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Under-23 coach, Samson Siasia has named 18 players to confront Zambia on Sunday in Lusaka for a place at the upcoming All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.
Both sides ended barren the first fixture clash at the Abuja National Stadium.
According to Supersport.com notable players are Oghenekaro Etebo, Ubong Ekpai, Onyekachi Peter, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bernard Bulbwa, Kingsley Sokari, among others.
Siasia declared that his boys would defeat the Zambians in Lusaka to book their passage to the football event of the 2015 AAG in Congo Brazzaville.
“Though the battle of Lusaka will be a herculean task we’re condemned to win so as to book our ticket to the men’s football tournament of the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.
“If the Zambians could come to Abuja to get a draw we’ve no option but to go out there and earn a win,” said the former Super Eagles manager.
The former Heartland coach however, frowned at the attitude of Flying Eagles captain, Musa Mohammed who took permission to collect his international passport in Lagos but failed to return to camp.
The encounter which takes place at the National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka on Sunday will see the aggregate winners qualify for the quadrennial sports showpiece.
Full list:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Emmanuel, Akande Abiodun
Defenders: Obanor Erhun, Oduduwa Segun, Amuzie Stanley, Atanda Sodiq, Mustapha Abdullahi, Iroha Chukwuebuka
Midfielders: Azubuike Okechukwu, Godwin Saviour, Mohammed Usman, Sokari Kingsley
Forwards: Etebo Oghenekaro, Ajayi Junior, Onyekachi Peter, Awoniyi Taiwo, Ubong Ekpai, Bernard Bulbwa