Zambia team to arrive Wednesday in Goa to play two friendlies

Panaji: A 20-member Zambia team who are to play two friendly matches at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, against Goa XI and India team to commemorate the golden jubilee of Goa Football Association will arrive on Wednesday.

Zambia who will play their first friendly match against Goa XI on November 26 and against India XI on November 29 have made two changes from the squad they had announced earlier, with Francis Kasonde and Oswald Kalamba making way for injured Thomas Nyirenda and Rodrick Kabwe. Zambia who are ranked much higher than India will look to both these friendly ties as practise matches ahead of the African Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January. Addressing a press conference, secretary of Goa Football Association Alberto Colaco said that he expects a full house for the two friendly matches. They have approached politicians to buy tickets for the Zambia friendly in bulk and then distribute them among their supporters. "The ticket sale for both the matches is picking up and we are expecting a large crowd," stated Colaco. Around 200 clubs and the four I-League clubs have come forward to lend helping hands. We have got good sponsors to support us. We require around Rs 60 lakh to organise the two games while the government has offered Rs 50 lakh, he stated. The Goan team will comprise of five foreign players in the starting line up WHILE the rest will be Goans. To attract more people, there will be musical show by Belinda and Tropicanos as well who will enthral the crowd with popular numbers in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Konkani and Hindi. The highlight of the band will be a song especially composed by Belinda Fernandes and Armando Duarte for the 50th Golden Jubilee of the Goa Football Association titled "Go Goa Goal". Zambia squad is: Kalililo Kakonje, Jacob Banda, Jimmy Mulenga, Nyambe Mulenga, Hichani Himonde, Dennis Banda, Lawrence Chungu, Stephen Kabwe, Bruce Musakanya, Francis Kasonde, Nathan Sinkala, Joeph Sitali, Kennedy Mudenda, Felix Katongo, Oswald Kalamba, Evans Kangwa, Luka Lungu, Alfred Luputa, Ronald Kampamba, Chisamba Lungu. Coach Renard Herve, manager Stanley Kaseko and Physio Gipson Chaloba. PTI