By STEPHEN PHIRI, CHISHALA MUSONDA and ROBINSON KUNDA
LESOTHO coach Leslie Notsi says Zambia playmaker Rainford Kalaba’s unavailability for Saturday’s 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifier gives the Likuena hope of causing an upset.
“Rainford is a brilliant player and he can change a game in a flash of a second. I read today (yesterday) on the internet that he will not be available for the match. He is an important player for the Zambia national soccer team.
“He was instrumental in Zambia’s victory at the 2012 Africa Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon,” Notsi said.
Notsi said in an interview from Maseru yesterday that Kalaba drives the Chipolopolo.
“In a way, Rainford’s unavailability is good news for us (Lesotho). He is a skilful player. We look forward to a good game and causing an upset,” Notsi said.
He, however, wished Kalaba a quick recovery.
Notsi also said his defender Bokang Mothoana has recovered from a groin injury and will be in the starting line-up at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Mothoana, who plies his trade for Tunisian side US Monstir, sustained a groin injury on Sunday during an international friendly against South Africa in Maseru, which the hosts lost 0-2.
And Zambia assistant coach Honour Janza has admitted that Kalaba’s brilliance in midfield will be missed on Saturday.
Kalaba has been sent from Ndola, where the team is camped, to Lusaka to undergo an MRI scanning to establish the extent of his calf injury.
Master, as Kalaba is referred to by teammates, for his brilliance in ball distribution, has almost 50 percent chances of making it for another crucial World Cup qualifier against Sudan next Saturday.
Janza said after yesterday’s training session at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola that the technical bench has a second option to replace the TP Mazembe schemer.
Janza said Kalaba will be missed like any other player who is injured but assured of a suitable replacement.
“With or without Kalaba, the game has to go on . So we have to look for the second option,” Janza said.
Coach Herve Renard took half the squad to perfect the finishing at goal off crosses from the flanks and free kicks.
The team trained on Levy Mwanawasa Stadium turf for the first time since regrouping last week.
And Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) communications manager Erick Mwanza said in Lusaka yesterday that Kalaba will undergo checkups at the Italian Hospital this morning.
Mwanza said the national team technical bench wants to know the extent of Kalaba’s injury so that they can know if he will be back for the game against Sudan next Saturday.
He said Kalaba is an important member of the Chipolopolo and the association wants him to undergo treatment in good time.
“We all know that the two World Cup games the team is playing are crucial and as such, we want all the players to play but it’s unfortunate that we will miss Kalaba for the game against Lesotho.
“We are, however, confident that the player (Kalaba) will be able to play when Zambia face Sudan next week,” Mwanza said.
He said defender Stopilla Sunzu is making a remarkably quick recovery from a minor knee surgery.
He said Renard will not rush the towering defender into playing any time soon because he wants him to recover fully.
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