STEPHEN PHIRI
Lusaka
CHISI Mbewe has been appointed under-23 national team coach ahead of the Egypt Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON).
Mbewe, from Super League side Red Arrows, will be assisted by Mumamba Numba and George Chilufya.
Zanaco’s Numba is first assistant while Chilufya, from Kabwe Warriors, is second.
AfCON winners Kalililo Kakonje and Kampamba Chintu are goalkeepers’ coach and physical trainer respectively.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) general secretary Charles Chakatazya said the technical bench has been tasked to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“The appointments have been made after a rigorous exercise that saw FAZ pick some of the best local coaching talents. Mbewe has been part of the Zambian youth system for sometime, having served as under-15 and under-20 coach over the years and knows his way around the current generation of players,” Chakatazya said in a statement issued last evening by FAZ head of media and communications Nkweto Tembwe.
“He will be assisted by an equally competent ensemble of local coaches that we have tasked to firstly qualify to the Under-23 AfCON and subsequently the Olympics in 2028.”
Zambia have been handed a second-round AfCON tie against either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso on November 9, with the return leg after eight days.
Other members of the bench are Mumba Mwila (team manager), Ndaba Sipuke (team doctor), Nimrod Musongwa (physiotherapist), Luka Kaunda (video analyst), Nchimunya Mwila (security manager) and Given Singuluma (equipment manager).
