Rankings:Caf: 5Fifa: 39Zambia have struck one thing right, which most African teams seem to get wrong: they understood that to develop a good national team you need to take care of your junior teams and patiently see them graduate through the ranks up to senior national team. That is what contributed immensely to Zambia’s triumph in 2012, emerging champions of Africa.Coach Herve Renard drove this well-oiled machine past some very good teams like Ghana in the semifinal and Côte d’Ivoire in the final to lift the trophy.Former Jomo Cosmos striker Chris Katongo, who now plays for Henan Jianye in China, Free State Stars goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, and Rainford Kalaba will again be key as Zambia seeks to defend their championship.
Full squad: Goalkeepers: Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, AFS), Joshua Titima (Power Dynamos, ZAM), Danny Munyao (Red Arrows, ZAM) Defenders: Stophira Sunzu (TP Mazembe, RDCongo), Joseph Musunda (Golden Arrows, AFS), Nathan Sinkala (TP Mazembe, RD Congo), Hijani Himoonde (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Emmanuel Mbola (FC Porto, POR), Davies Nkausu (SuperSport United, SA), Francis Kasonde (TP Mazembe, DR Congo) Midfielders: Isaac Chansa (Hinan Jianye, CHN), William Njovu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, ISR), Chisamba Lungu (Ural Sverdlosk Oblast, RUS), Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Mukaka Mulenga (Power Dynamos, ZAM), Jonas Sakuwaha (Al –Merreikh Omdurman, SDN), Noah Chivuta (Free State Stars, SA) Forwards: Christopher Katongo (Henan Jianye, CHN), Collins Mbesuma (Orlando Pirates, SA), James Chamanga (Dalian Shide, CHN), Jacob Mulenga (FC Utrecht, P-B), Emmanuel Mayuka (FC Southampton, ANG)
– By Sipho Kekana
