By Mutukwa Matakala
PRISON Leopards and ex-Zambia U-17 coach Chris Kaunda has told Zephaniah Phiri that the hard work to keep his Zambia spot has just begun after making a memorable Chipolopolo debut against Uganda last week.
The right-back, who received a surprised call-up from Avram Grant for Zambia’s October friendly match camp in the United Arab Emirates, made his debut in Chipolopolo’s 3-0 win over Uganda on October 17 in Sharjah.
Kaunda said in an interview that Phiri had all the attributes for international football but that it takes a lot of focus and consistency to become a Chipolopolo mainstay.
Phiri was one of eleven home-based players in Grant’s 25-member team for the October FIFA international friendly window dates in the UAE against Egypt and Uganda.
“He just needs to calm down and concentrate. It is just one game, so we can’t say he is with the national team,” Kaunda said.
“So he just needs to work hard so that he can remove those guys that are the in that position.”
Phiri was particularly instrumental in Zambia’s last two goals against Uganda which were scored by Fashion Sakala and Patson Daka who benefitted from both the defenders assists in the 63rd and 69th minutes respectively.
The 26-year-old defenders’ performance also won him plaudits from Grant as one of his stand-out performers in the Uganda friendly.
Phiri was earlier an unused substitute in the first friendly game against Egypt on October 22 which Chipolopolo lost 1-0 in Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile, Kaunda is not new to the high level of the game after becoming the first coach to guide Junior Chipolopolo to their debut AFCON U17 appearance in 2015 at the tournament held in Niger where the side made a group stage exit.
Amongst notable players in Kaunda’s 2015 AFCON U17 team were Daka and Enock Mwepu.
Caption: New Chipolopolo callup and Prison Leopards defender Zephaniah Lungu (pic FAZ Media)
