ZAMBIA SECURES MAFRO DEAL WORTH $400,000

By Mike Mubanga

News broke out early on Sunday that Zambia has signed a two year deal with Singaporean sportswear company, Mafro.

The Zambia National soccer team recently flirted with Italian sportswear brand Kappa, but it has now officially emerged that the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has signed a US$400,000 with Mafro for two years. 

The deal sees the Association getting $200,000 cash and playing kit for the senior team, the Under 23, Under 20, Under 17 and all women’s’ teams for a period of two years bringing the total package to about $400,000.

The deal will see Zambia retaining the traditional green, orange and white colours with black shorts also available for alternative use.

It's not close to the undisclosed Nike deal that the 2012 African Champions signed which was cut short after high levels of indiscipline were uncovered in the manner in which the deal was handled.

A top FAZ official told Blogger Mike Mubanga Says that the Association was ahead business wise and pledged to deliver the best value for all football stakeholders across the country.

Locally, the Association has continued with its distribution of kit and soccer balls, with Lusaka and Copperbelt the only provinces remaining before the exercise can be wrapped up.

And while FAZ General Secretary Ponga Liwewe confirmed the Mafro deal on Sunday morning, millions of Zambians saw the young Copper Bullets dawn the new jersey in their opening Group C match against Portugal, in which they beat the two time world champions 2-1.

'Kappa and Mafro kit clash?'

However, the audience saw members of the technical bench wearing Kappa but Mike Mubanga Says has established that the players and team could not wear a jersey depicting three bullets as FIFA found it offensive.

This sent FAZ into panic mode and while they successfully managed to change for the players, the track suits could not be corrected in 48 hours.

But spectators wonder why the bench should not have used unbranded track suits as they wait for the new kit which will be delivered on Monday.

Nevertheless, one hopes the Mafro deal will give birth to the transparency and accountability that football stakeholders have called for time and again.

FORTUNA FOOTBALL ACADEMY TRIO INVITED FOR TRIALS IN CROATIA

By Mike Mubanga

Three Fortuna Football Academy players are expected to attend an 11 day trial with Croatian club, NK Zagreb.

The top Croatian professional football league side, which is based in the country’s capital city Zagreb, has called for the services of defender Anthony Syamayuwa, attacking midfielder Godsent Simuyanda and striker Vestor Bwali.

Academy chairperson Nason Kokowe has told blogger Mike Mubanga Says that the trio will be taken through various performance and physical fitness training in front of Zagreb’s technical team.

“It’s a great opportunity and honor for the boys and their entire team. This means a lot because it just shows how much work we are putting in as a team in as far as football development at club and national level is concerned,” Kokowe said.

Kokowe has advised the trio to trust in God and their capacity to perform during the trial which starts on 10 July in Europe.

“My message to the boys is that they should always be prayerful and at the same time work hard. They should also know that as they go for these trials, it is Zambia and the entire Africa that they are representing so they must die a little and showcase the massive talent we have back here.

Fortuna features in the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Under-19 Lusaka region league.

They are currently ninth in the 16 team log table.

ZAMBIA WILL NOT QUALIFY TO 2017 AFRICA CUP, STOP WASTING CALCULATOR BATTERIES

Gutted Zambian supporters. Picture by Jean Mandela

By Mike Mubanga

I have been compelled to respond to numerous phone calls, text and Whatsapp messages from people asking me if Zambia still has a chance to qualify to the 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations.

The answer is NO, the Chipolopolo Boys were ELIMINATED from the contest following the 3-2 loss away to Guinea Bissau on Saturday.

The George Lwandamina marshaled boys are third in Group E with six points, four behind group winners Guinea Bissau with Congo occupying second place thanks to their superior goal difference of plus 1.

Gabon automatically qualified to the AFCON 2017 as hosts, while 13 group winners will be joined by two best losers.

Surely, Zambia has six points, how can they be best losers when you have teams on TEN points such as Tunisia in Group A, Central African Republic in Group B and Uganda in Group D?

As it stands, Zambia is not among the top 10 best losers so why punch innocent calculator buttons, celebrate Kenya’s win over Congo, hope the Chipolopolo beat the Harambee Stars and further hope that Bissau beats Congo? This is mind boggling!

Simply put, Zambia will not qualify to the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2004, when they failed to do so under Patrick ‘the Mathematician’ Phiri.

‘Alarm signs’

Zambia’s signs of failure to qualify to the continental showpiece started way back when they qualified to the 2013 Africa Cup after beating Uganda 9-8 on post-match penalties on 13 October 2013 following a 1-1 aggregate score.

The struggles were very real in South Africa when the then reigning champions were booted out in the first round after drawing all three games in Group C against Ethiopia and 2013 finalists, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.

The results showed that Zambia’s performance was nose-diving, and needed a Given Singuluma away goal against Mozambique in the penultimate qualifier match to secure Honour Janza’s path to Equatorial Guinea 2015 competition.

There, the results were disastrous as the Chipolopolo drew two matches against DR Congo and Cape Verde while losing 2-1 to Tunisia in the second Group B match.

Two consecutive first round exits does not even need a n’ganga to tell you that Zambia was eventually going to fail to qualify for the Afcon in one way or the other.

‘Mistakes’

Following the exit of Herve Renard in October 2013, the Zambian coaching bench has exchanged hands from Frenchman Patrice Beaumelle, Honour Janza and now George Lwandamina http://mikemubanga.blogspot.de/2015/06/coming-in-for-criticism-lwandamina-must.html), that’s only in a space of less than three years.

The decisions have brought about drastic changes in national team players as each and every coach that has come has either introduced, retired, or recalled some players to suit his philosophy, and that is too dangerous if you ask me.

Lwandamina being a part time coach at the national team is also another mistake. The Zesco United coach, who has deservedly won back to back league titles with the Ndola based giants, has had little or no time to monitor players within Zambia and abroad.

The national team job needs an independent and full time coach who will not be accused of any bias towards his or other team(s) because the coach will be in employment full-time and can watch any match of interest in a bid to assemble a great squad.

The previous administration did not handle the Chipolopolo coaching job with the respect and dignity that it deserves, it was handled in a slapdash way to suit the needs of the administrators more than the fans, who love the Chipolopolo to the core.

‘Way forward’

The Andrew Kamanga led FAZ administration which has been at Football House for 79 days, should excuse Lwandamina and find a permanent coach for the Chipolopolo Boys before the start of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers in October 2016.

Failure to so do will be another risk which will make Kamanga and his Exco very unpopular to the fans and Chipolopolo sponsors.

AFRICA FAILS TO DECIDE FIFA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS OUTCOME

 By Mike Mubanga

I wonder where certain soccer administrators or so called analysts in Africa got the confidence that Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa would sweep the corridors and walk tall to become the next FIFA president.

They got excited of news that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had taken a decision to support a Salman, that it was 54 block votes in the bag for the Asian, which also included one from the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).

“FAZ in line with its core belief of unity of purpose will support the candidature of Al-Khalifa whom CAF has endorsed. We are part of the African football family under CAF and we shall follow what the continental mother body has advised,” FAZ general secretary, George Kasengele said.

The politics by CAF to adopt block voting was a gamble that may haunt the confederation in years to come, especially now that the African continent’s vote has counted for nothing.

I feel it is high time that Africa stops block voting system, unless there is a genuine reason why the Confederation could continue giving votes to one candidate without the full approval of local member associations.

Any FIFA president will have to work for the votes of the CAF region in order to break the normal practice of voting as a block, a move which will give a mandate for FA’s to vote for their candidate of choice. 

The days of block voting are long gone, if there is a democracy and Africa believe in a democracy, then that means that everyone who is nominated has a chance to participate and whoever votes, votes, whichever way.

INFANTINO IS THE MAN

Gianni Infantino

Gianni Infantino, UEFA’s general secretary, was on Friday elected to succeed Sepp Blatter as President of football governing body, FIFA.

Infantino, who hails from Switzerland like former president Sepp Blatter, was elected with a simple majority during a second round of voting in the presidential election at a FIFA Extraordinary Congress in Zurich.

The first round of voting had failed to determine an outright winner.

1st round results:

• Gianni Infantino: 88 votes
• Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa: 85 votes
• Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan: 27 votes
• Jerome Champagne: 7 votes.

2nd round results:

• Gianni Infantino: 115 votes
• Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa: 88 votes
• Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan: 4 votes
• Jerome Champagne: 0 votes

CATHERINE PHIRI BEATS YAZMIN RIVAS TO BECOME WORLD BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION

Picture courtesy of WBC

By Mike Mubanga

Zambia's Catherine Phiri is the new Bantamweight world boxing champion after she upset Yazmin 'Rusita' Rivas in six rounds in Mexico.

The win makes Catherine the first African to lift the gold title, which has previously been held by some of the world great boxers including Susie Ramadan.

In Zambia, Catherine becomes the first boxer to lift the WBC belt, another record that will all but surely put her in the book of the best fighters the country has ever produced.

Blogger Mike Mubanga reports that the fight was ended in the sixth round via a technical decision following what can be described as an accidental head butt that stopped the exchange of leather.

Knowing how good Yasmin has been to the extent of the Mexican successfully defending her belt four times, Catherine was determined to stop her through the use of quick movements and powerful punches that caught Rivas terribly.

Catherine shut Rivas supporters that turned up at the Convention Center Rosarito in Baja California with another set of punches in the second and third round, while ducking Rivas' efforts.

'Accidental head butt'

Many will remember the head butt that stopped the Esther Phiri Vs Sandra Almeida fight, an act which was similar in the Phiri Vs Rivas contest.

A clash of heads between Phiri and Rivas caused a gash around Rusita's right eye and forced referee Raul Caiz to dock one point from the Zambian boxer but ringside doctor Ernesto Franco felt that the fight should not continue.

As of the judges score which had a panelist of the Caiz family, Sergio Caiz scored 58-56, Carla Caiz had 57-57 while Raul Caiz junior recorded 59-55.

"I am very happy and can't explain this excitement, I have achieved what many boxers in the world have failed to do, I thank my coach (Mike Zulu), my manager (Chris Malunga) and everyone who supported me from day one. I promised them that I will come back a stronger boxer after that loss to McMahon and I have done it," a delighted Catherine told blogger, Mike Mubanga says.

The only consolation for Rivas on the night was when she bagged the 2015 Knockout of The Year award for defeating Simone Da Silva Duarte.

Other than that, it is the pain of not defending the WBC belt for the fifth time that will hurt Rusita's feelings for many days to come.

ZAMBIA 1-1 GABON: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT

By Mike Mubanga

Zambia and Gabon played out to a 1-1 draw in front of thousands of supporters including football patron and republican President, Edgar Lungu.

Here is what we learnt:

1.      ZESCO 2 - 2 Zambia/Gabon

It was all square at the Heroes National Stadium as Zesco blacked out the entire stadium twice; before and during the match. Actually, Zesco were two up before Rainford Kalaba scored for Zambia while Panthers goalkeeper Bitsike Moto’s coolly taken penalty went past Kennedy Mweene. Fans were a bit unsettled by the sudden blackouts, but information reaching the blog is that as 400 supporters gatecrashed. Lucky them.

2.      Poor Boyd, just one mistake swallowed all the fans’ praise

Defender Boyd Mkandawire put up a decent shift that drew fans' praise and maintained his status as one of the emerging young players in Zambian football. However, a needless challenge in the box was enough to attract Janny Sikazwe's whistle; penalty! Soon after, Mkandawire endured unnecessary hate from fans who all of the sudden wondered why he made the first eleven. Surely!

3.      The second half belonged to the visitors

Just as in Sunday's match against Kenya were the Harambee Stars dominated the second half, it was the same story at the Heroes National Stadium against Gabon. Zambia had the best 45 minutes scoring two goals and one goal in the Kenya and Gabon games respectively. The substitute bench made little impact in the game, and it is high time the team learns to endure in order to match the opposition of Egypt, Tunisia and Congo among other teams.

4.      Mbesuma still got it

Collins Mbesuma deserves a mention in the five things we learnt on Tuesday night. His touch and movement with the ball was so exquisite, and speaks a lot of a man who made his national team debut in 2003. It is encouraging to see that 12 years later, he can still be the answer to Zambia’s goal scoring problems.

5.      Zambia needs more freekick sessions

With enterprising play that has come with the combination of old and young players, a lot of free kicks are being created in goal scoring areas. However, it’s either the taker shoots 12 o’clock, or the ball goes straight to the goalkeeper. It cannot be bad, therefore, to have free kick sessions in order to master the art of scoring free kicks.

KENYA 1-2 ZAMBIA: 5 THINGS WE LEARNT

By Mike Mubanga

Zambia came from a goal down to snatch a vital 2-1 away win over Kenya in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Group E encounter played at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi. The win leaves Zambia and Congo tied at the top in group E with four points while Kenya are third with a point.

Here is what we learnt:

1. Mbesuma proves that he is not excess luggage

With an assist and a goal to his name, Collins Mbesuma still proved that he can be the main man. He's been criticized for his below par performance but given an opportunity, 'King David' can still push Zambia to greater heights.

I am the man: Collins Mbesuma (middle) joined by Chisamba Lungu and Aaron Katebe

 

 

2. Game risky helped

Handing out starts to Boyd Mkandawire, Benedict Chepeshi and Jackson Chirwa was a gamble that worked well for Coach George Lwandamina. While Chepeshi may have had been more shaky than Chepeshi and Chirwa, it is safe to say that the trio will succeed in the Chipolopolo jersey.

Ouch! Boyd Mkandawire had a good game

 

 

 3.  Zambian players fell like 'Arabs'

The Nyayo Stadium faithful was left stunned by the falling of the Chipolopolo Boys players. While most of them were debatable, it was no wonder fans aimed team doctor Joseph Kabungo for attended to fit players. Kenya Coach Bobby Williamson felt that the match referee should have added 10 minutes.

"I am sure you (Kenya) have played with Arabs before, it was going to be worse than what you saw," Lwandamina said later in an interview. Was he endorsing his players fall?

Easy Doc! Kennedy Mweene was accused of time wasting

4. Victor Wanyama is a loner

After Paul Were hobbled off just after 27 minutes, Southampton ace Victor Wanyama who recently had his request to join Tottenham rejected, became of the outstanding player in the Kenya squad. Dennis Oliech, who made his return to the national team in over a year, did not help Wanyama. However, many Zambians will admire the passion and dedication Emmanuel Mayuka’s former teammate had when one of one with Rainford Kalaba and Collins Mbesuma among other Chipolopolo players.

Midfield genius Wanyama was not helped

5. Sangomas disappoint Kenya

The alleged Sangomas sought intervention for Kenya to beat Zambia. The two who deployed themselves at Nyayo stadium sprinkled water and some light powder inside the pitch but it never worked. Infact, it didn’t work in their favour as the Kenyans missed chances at the goal post which was worked on after it leaked to goals for Zambia inside the opening 45 minutes.

Not today: Sangomas had a bad day in the office