Sports minister Chishimba Kambwili has advised national team players to stop basking in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations glory as they prepare for a World Cup qualifying match against Lesotho on Saturday.
The minister said the boys should put behind the winning of the AfCON last year and concentrate on making it to Brazil in 2014.
Kambwili, who was speaking to journalists in Lusaka on Tuesday, called for countrywide prayers ahead of Zambia’s World Cup qualifying match against Lesotho.
The vocal government official believes only divine intervention can propel Zambia to her maiden world cup appearance.
He says a church service to commit the team to God will be conducted on the Copperbelt this Friday, ahead of the crucial match on Saturday.
And in a dramatic turn of events influential midfielder Rainford Kalaba has been ruled out of Saturday’s crucial World cup qualifier against Lesotho because of an injury.
On Monday, Kalaba was declared fit for the Lesotho game. However, national team Doctor Joseph Kabungo says Kalaba has since been excused from training and given time to recuperate from a calf strain.
Dr Kabungo said the medical team will now focus on ensuring that Kalaba is ready for the upcoming World cup qualifier against Sudan.
The TP Mazembe player joined the team on Monday but the medical team has decided not to aggravate his calf strain any further and has since given the player some days to recover from the injury.
Zambia is leading Group D with seven points and their closest rival Ghana has six. Lesotho has accumulated two points and Sudan has one.
Meanwhile, Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom says his teammates are ready to punch above their weight for a win against Sudan on Friday in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The on-loan FC Basel player is part of Kwesi Appiah’s 25-man squad preparing for the return Group D qualifier in Omduran.
Inkoom missed the first leg 4-0 victory at the Baba Yara Stadium in March but has played against the Nile Crocodiles in previous meetings.
Ghana have been preparing in Ethiopia since last Friday and will leave the East African country today to Khartoum.
Inkoom believes the team have the right mentality to record another victory.
“Every player wants to show something and prove to the coach that he is good,” Inkoom told the Ghana FA’s official website.
“The most important thing is that we need to stay focused, listen to the coach and keep on working hard.
“I believe in this team. I have trust in my colleagues. It’s not going to be easy. We have been there twice. But I believe that we are going to beat them.”
The Black Stars need a win against the Nile Crocodiles to keep snapping at the heels of Group D leaders Zambia.
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