ZAMBIA national team skipper Christopher Katongo has signed a two-and-half-year contract with Chinese first division side Henan Jienye.Both Katongo and his former Greek club Skoda Xanthi confirmed the development yesterday.

And Emmanuel Mayuka was on target for Young Boys in a pre-season match ahead of this weekend’s explosive Swiss league opener against Fwayo Tembo’s FC Basel who will start defence of their title.

Xanthi posted on its official website that they have sold Katongo’s contract to the Chinese club.

“I can confirm that I have signed a two-and-half-year contract with Henan Jienye here in China. I am currently in camp for my first appearance this weekend. I am happy with the deal and the level of football,” said Katongo, who did not disclose the amount involved in the transfer.

Katongo said in an interview from China yesterday that he is happy to break through the Asian league.

The national team skipper, who scored a brace in the 3-0 win over Mozambique in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola last month, said he will continue putting in his best.

“I have never played in any Asian league before and it is quite a challenge every time a player changes clubs but I am determined to settle down as quickly as possible. It is a challenge to acclimatise to a new environment and style of play, but I have to work straight away because there is no time. The league is on here,” he said.

Katongo said the Chinese league is as competitive as the one in Europe.

“Wherever God takes me, I will go…as long as I am happy and able to compete. The Chinese league is not as easy as people may think,” he said.

Katongo, who has been in China since June 30, advised young players to work hard, be determined and maintain the highest level of discipline if they are to excel in their career.

He has not gone back to Greece since he came to Zambia in May for national duties. The Greek league is currently on recess.

The former Green Buffaloes midfielder turned professional in 2004 when he joined South African Premier Soccer League side Jomo Cosmos, where he had a two-year stint before moving to Danish side Brondby in 2007.

He spent only a year in Denmark and trekked to Germany in 2008 where he joined Armenia Bielefeld for a two-year contract before moving to Greece last year.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

 

Cash strapped FAZ Division 1 North Side; Lusaka Dynamos are still in a limbo of fulfilling all their fixtures this season.
Club Secretary, Madaliso Kamanga says the midlands team is currently only able to play within Lusaka and nearby surrounding areas due to limited finances.
Kamanga says the team has already missed one away fixture against Mansa and it is not sure of the upcoming fixtures.
Lusaka Dynamos is currently lying 4th from the bottom in the league.

JACOB Mulenga watched from the sidelines as FC Utrecht lost 2-1 to Belgian side Lierse SK in their first pre-season training game in Hoenderloo on Saturday.

Mulenga was excused alongside Edouard Duplan, Michel Vorm and Mark Van der Maarel who are yet to fully recover.

According to the FC Utrecht website Coach Erwin Koeman fielded a youthful side handing action to newly signed youngsters.

Mulenga has just returned from a seven month injury lay off that saw him miss out on the second part of the season after tearing his cruciate ligament in FC Utrecht’s 1-0 loss to Ado Den Haag on October, 31, 2010.

The 27 year old former Afrisport target-man last played for Zambia in October last year in Tripoli against Libya in the 1-0 away loss.

“Coach Koeman did not use some senior players in the game because they have not fully recovered from their injuries-Michel Vorm, Jacob Mulenga, Edouard Duplan and Mark van der Maarel not yet in action,” said the club on its website.

FC Utrecht got their goal in the second half through Bullet Leon who scored from the penalty spot.

Coach Erwin Koeman noted afterwards that his team still had much trouble with the fast pace of Lierse.  "Especially the young guys that are not used," he said.  "We also have a heavy week of training behind him.”

 

KCM Vice President- Human Resource David Kaunda says KCM awards for deserving clubs, footballers and officials who excelled during the last season will be held on July 12, 2011 in Lusaka.

Kaunda said KCM was honoured to be associated and proud sponsor of the football awards.

The awards were earmarked to have been held early this year but because of the football wrangles that had rocked the game, KCM postponed them and they were even a doubt on whether they were going to be staged or not.

“Awards will soon be presented in all categories very soon. We are proud to have been sponsors and we are sure the deserving footballers and clubs will be encouraged with the tokens they will receive. KCM is working with the FAZ to ensure this is done as soon as possible,” the former Zanaco FC Chairman said in a statement.

The awards expected to be presented will see Red Arrows’ Dube Phiri walk away with K20 million for emerging as top scorer after scoring 14 goals last season while Zanaco midfielder Simon Silwimba is a contender for the Young of the Player after captaining Zambia Under-20 to the Cosafa Cup last December. Silwimba also emerged as one of Zanaco’s key players especially in the club’s run in the CAF Confederations Cup which saw the bankers reach the group stages.

The other contenders for the Young Player of Year award are Zesco United’s Kangwa ‘Tshabalala’ Chileshe and now his teammate Stanley Nshimbi though his exploits was when he was at Red Arrows.

Zanaco coach Wedson Nyirenda and Fighton Simukonda of Zesco United are not clear favourites. Bruce Mwape, who led Nchanga Rangers to second position in his first season in the top flight after the return of Rangers to Super Division  will be considered though the firm favourite is Oswald Mutapa who guided the Under-20 to victory in Botswana and also Nkwazi to fifth.

[zamfoot]

 

MANCHSTER City has joined the chase for 14-year old Belgiam-born Zambian star Charly Musonda.

According to the Mirrorfootball.co.uk Charly, the last born son of former international Charles Musonda is also being tracked by the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Charly is the youngest of the Musonda boys. The other two are Lamisha and Tika who are all signed by Belgian club Anderlecht.

Manchester City, the richest club in the world, has entered the frame and are looking strong favourites to snap the teenager.
The sky blue outfit is dangling an estimated £900,000-a-year which the family is considering.

Under European football laws, clubs cannot buy a boy under the age of 16.
But if the family move to a new city in Europe and want their son to join a club in the specific area, nobody can stop them.

Musonda, the boy’s father and a former footballer, said: “We have had invitations to come to Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City.
“So far I have said no to all of them. But the amount of money which has been offered to us is now crazy.

“We have been to look at the set up of Barcelona and at the same time a Real Madrid scout has assured us that my son Charly Jr. would definitely get a place in Madrid.”

City now lead the chase to sign Charly junior and his brothers Lamisha (18) and Tika (16).

The £900,000-a-year offer is thought to be double the deal tabled by Barcelona and Real Madrid. Their father explained why City wants all three boys.

He said: “Lamisha is small, but he has great moves and pace.
“Tika is a lot bigger than his brothers. He plays at the back and has a great pass.

“But Charly Jr. is a lovely mixture of technique and cleverness.”
Jan Boskamp, the former Stoke and Anderlecht boss, has seen the youngster in action.

He said: “Charly is the best of all young talents, a mix of Xavi and Iniesta.
“There is not a kid at his age who is so brilliant.”

Chipolopolo midfielder Felix Katongo is attending trials at Egyptian giants Zamalek ahead of a summer transfer window which opens on 10th July 2011.
The versatile midfielder who can operate either in the hole or on the flanks left the country last week and missed Green Buffaloes’ 4-1 thumping of Nkwazi, were he was playing as a guest player.
The 27-year-old is being considered by coach Hossam Hassan and a possible move to Cairo will delight the pacey midfielder since the league in Libya, where he has a contract with Tripoli-based Ittihad, is in hibernation. “Katongo is already in Cairo and he will train with the team starting from today [Monday] under the supervision of coach Hossam Hassan, who will sign him if he is convinced by his performance,” the 11-time Egyptian league winners confirmed. Katongo will be one of the experienced midfielders the Cairo-based club will be hoping to sign to strengthen their bid to return to past glory days. Zamalek have not won the league since 2004.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns player has been a regular for the Chipolopolo since 2004, and is the younger brother of Zambia captain Christopher Katongo. He has had spells with Forest Rangers, Green Buffaloes, Jomo Cosmos (South Africa), Petro Atlético (Angola).
The veteran of three African Cup of Nations also spent a season and half in France though he played mostly for Stade Rennes’ reserve side and LB Chateauroux were he teamed up with Jacob Mulenga and Stopilla Sunzu.

OMMA Mweene of Munali Cycling Club has won the fifth round of the National Championship after covering 144km in 3:37:27.
The fifth round was held on the Lusaka Mumbwa road starting and finishing outside Garden House Hotel.
Mweene beat fourth round winner Yanjanani Sakala of Finish Line Cycling Club who is now in third place while Obert Cheembe of John Laing cycling finished second with a with a time of 3:44:17. Bruce Nkoma of Finish Line Cycling Club clocked 3:46:02 to finish fourth his clubmate James Malako finished a close fifth with a time of 3:46:20.
Cycling Association of Zambia National team coach Peter Chintu said the next 40km race, the National Individual Time Trial Championship will be held on Sunday July 10, 2011 on Chongwe Road, starting at Airport junction in Lusaka.