By SANDRA MWILA –
CHIPOLOPOLO coach Wedson Nyirenda has handed Power Dynamos striker Alex Ng’onga call back to the national team for this weekend’s away African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier to south Africa.
But there is still no room in the team for Fwayo Tembo and Clatous Chama.
And local first-choice goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata is a doubt for thefinal round of the CHAN qualifier in South Africa aftersustaining an injury in Monday’s league game against Green Eagles.
In an interview at Woodlands Stadium yesterday, Nyirenda said that he has calledNg’onga to his squad to replace Brain Mwila who is ineligible to play for CHANafter signing a contract with South African side Platinum Stars.
With the frontline proving the weakest link in Saturday’s international friendly against Ethiopia, the in-form Ng’onga will come in handy for Nyirenda’s squad.
“We have called Alex to beef up the striking force and he replaces Brain (Mwila), Ibelieve he will add depth, experience and fire power to the team,”Nyirenda said.
Ng’onga has been instrumental to his Power Dynamos squad where he has netted three times in his four games after he was cleared to play in the international transfer window.
Ng’onga was expected to join the team yesterday afternoon.
The striker last featured for the Chipolopolo in 2014 during aninternational friendly against Ivory Coast at Heroes stadium which was part of the Golden Jubilee Celebration under coach Honour Janza.
Other players that were still awaited in camp are Zesco’s Kondwani Mtonga, Dave Daka, John Ching’andu and Fackson Kapumbu who featuredfor a league game on Monday.
He also added that the technical bench will not release players to featurefor their clubs in the mid-week league games.
Nyirenda said they will prepare adequately for the encounter and willnot be swayed by news coming from their opponent’s camp that 10 players had been withdrawn from the team by their clubs.
“We are going there to get a positive result so that we have lesspressure in the return leg. The team is doing well, we just have towork on their finishing hence the calling of Ng’onga,” Nyirenda said.
“We have played South Africa so many times in a short period,by now I am sure they know our players by name and what they arecapable of doing,” Nyirenda said.
On Nsabata, the coach said it would be a setback if thegoal-minder is ruled out.
“Toaster sustained a hard knock and he has been taken to the hospitalby our doctors, so we are still waiting for news on whether he will be fit ornot,” Nyirenda said.
Nyirenda has maintained the team that featured for the Ethiopiafriendly with Ng’onga being the only new inclusion.