SPORTS

Zambia’s national under-17 team coach Chris Kaunda has said he is satisfied with Saturday’s home draw with Amajimbo South Africa in their junior international friendly. Junior Chipolopolo rallied from one-down to finish 1-1 with their South African counterparts at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka. The friendly was part of both sides’ preparations ahead of their participation in next month’s 2015 Caf ...

Fact box on African Nations Cup qualifiers Zambia. Previous appearances in finals: (16) 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013. Best performance: Winners 2012 Drawn in Group B with the Cape Verde Islands, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tunisia. Coach: Honour Janza Zambia had to scramble for a coach just ...

The Cape Verde Islands arrived as an oddity at the last African Nations Cup finals but two years on will have credible hopes of again reaching the quarterfinals of the continental championship. They compete against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tunisia and Zambia in Group B of the tournament, which kicks off in Equatorial Guinea on January 17. With a ...

Chelsea beat Newcastle United 2-0 for a 10th straight Premier League home win at their Stamford Bridge stronghold on Saturday to reassert themselves as Premier League leaders while Manchester City drew 1-1 at Everton. Jose Mourinho’s team had relinquished control in the title race in recent weeks with City roaring back to close an eight-point deficit and draw level but ...

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has become the first player to be named Confederation of African Football African Footballer of the Year four years in a row. Toure, 31, was nominated after playing a pivotal role in winning the Premier League and League Cup. He also helped Ivory Coast qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Toure beat off ...

Chelsea assistant coach Steven Holland believes it is “impossible” for the club to sign Barcelona star Lionel Messi due to Financial Fair Play restrictions. The Argentine superstar is reportedly unhappy at Barcelona, but Blues assistant coach Steve Holland is adamant that Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations prevent any deal. Messi’s future has been the subject of intense speculation ever since ...

Ghana have left out Jeffrey Schlupp from their final African Nations Cup squad, avoiding a showdown with Leicester City over the availability of the injured defender. Abdul Majeed Waris has also been left out by new coach Avram Grant who called up Norwegian-based striker Mahatma Otoo as a late replacement, the Ghana Football Association said on Thursday. Both Schlupp and ...

Zambia have retained eight players from their African Nations Cup-winning squad of three years ago in their final 23-man list for this month’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea with Rainford Kalaba chosen as captain. The team has undergone a dramatic transformation since Zambia won the continental championship in Gabon in 2012. Among those left out of the squad named on Wednesday ...

Honour Janza say taking five Under 21’s stars to 2015 AFCON signals the start of a new era for Zambia. Strikers Reynold Kampamba of Nkana and Red Arrows’ Patrick Ngoma including the latter’s club mate Bruce Musakanya will all be making their Africa Cup debuts when the tournament kicks off on January 17 in Equatorial Guinea. Other Under-21’s Janza has ...

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join Los Angeles Galaxy in July, the American side have confirmed. The former England midfielder, 34, will play for the Major League Soccer club after his contract at Anfield expires. “We were aggressive in our pursuit of Steven and look forward to his contributions on and off the field,” said Galaxy president Chris Klein. “I’m ...