By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA and SANDRA MWILA  –

CHIPOLOPOLO striker Winston Kalengo has effectively been ruled out of the CAF 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) finals slated for January 16 to February 7 in Rwanda.
Also surprisingly out of the Chipolopolo squad preparing for the CHAN tournament are Zanaco goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata and Napsa Stars defender Boyd Mkandawire.
According to the final list obtained by the Times yesterday, Kalengo, who just signed for Congo Brazzaville side AC Leopards, has been left out of list of players picked for the CHAN that was submitted to the Confederations of African Football (CAF).
Whereas as Kalengo had signed for AC Leopards, FAZ was trying to play around with the time of issuing of the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) which could have made him eligible for the CHAN.
But a recent tiff between the Chipolopolo technical bench and Zesco United could have prompted the decision to let go of the player.
This definitely alters coach George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina’s tactical approach to the tournament.
Lwandamina will now have to rely on the experience of the 2012 Africa Cup winning skipper Christopher Katongo, a midfielder, with a horde of inexperienced youngsters like Conlyde Luchanga and Patson Daka upfront.
The decision on Kalengo may not be much of a surprise, but the dropping of Zanaco and Zambia Under-23 captain Nsabata comes as a shock especially that the technical bench preferred his understudy at his club, Racha Kola.
Mkandawire will not be making the trip to Rwanda though there is room in the squad for Kabwe Warriors defender Solomon Sakala.
With Katongo expected to lead the frontline, Isaac Chansa will be the boss in midfield with Chris Munthali and Buchizya Mfune anchoring the back.
Jacob Banda will be the main man between the sticks.
Meanwhile, veteran coach Dean Mwiinde has urged the Chipolopolo technical bench to consider the stature of the players when naming the final team to compete at the CHAN finals.
“When selecting players the team needs to be balanced, it needs tall players and those with big bodies especially when we play the West African countries.
“If you remember during the 2012 Africa Cup, we conceded a silly goal because Chisamba Lungu was too short to shield the ball against the bigger players. Balance is very important in a team and I hope coach Lwandamina looks at that area,” Mwiinde said.
The former Under-23 soccer coach added that as FAZ keeps looking for countries to play Zambia in international friendly matches, it was important to factor in the issue of the type of opponents to be faced at the tournament.
Zambia is in Group D at the fourth edition of the CHAN with neighbours Zimbabwe, Uganda and West Africans, Mali.
Mwiinde said friendly matches would be important to gauge how the players would respond to the challenges at the tournament, and called on FAZ to find as many friendly games as possible.
The full list has goalkeepers Jacob Banda (Zesco), Racha Kola (Zanaco) and Lawrence Mulenga (Kabwe Warriors). Defenders are Christopher Munthali (Power), Solomon Sakala (Warriors), Donashano Malama (Nkana), George Chilufya (Zanaco), Buchizya Mfune, Adrian Chama (Buffaloes) and Zesco’s Dauti Musekwa.
Benson Sakala (Power), Mwape Mwelwa, Cletus Chota (Zesco), Spencer Sautu, (Eagles), Jack Chirwa (Buffaloes) and the Zanaco pair of Isaac Chansa and Salulani Phiri are the midfielders.
The strikers are Katongo, Luchanga (Dynamos), Adamson Mulao (Eagles) and Daka (Power).