Mon, 13 Mar 2017 10:25:31 +0000
By SPORTS REPORTER
PRESUDENT Edgar Lungu has congratulated the Junior Chipolopolo team for their impressive victory in the 2017 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals played against the young Teranga Lions of Senegal at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka yesterday.
The President also extends congratulations to the technical bench for their commitment towards securing this victory.
In a statement released by his press aide Amos Chanda, President Lungu sad that he was extremely happy at the consistent and impressive performance that the young Chipolopolo had exhibited since the tournament commenced.
“ The junior soccer team had done Zambia proud by retaining Zambia’s lost glory in football which the Zambian soccer fans and the general public had been yearning for in a long time after the 2012 Gabon AfCON Victory by the senior team,” said the President
He was confident that the young Chipolopolo had a great future in football and urged them to continue working extremely hard, be disciplined and ensure team spirit for them to perform even better in other tournaments.
The President equally extended his gratitude to the visiting teams for having participated in the Under-20 AFCON and wished them well in future tournaments.
President Lungu has since directed the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) including other soccer stakeholders to show unwavering commitment to ensure that the young Chipolopolo were nurtured to stardom for the Zambia to continue recording success.
The President is also happy with the support that the Zambian people have shown to the young team since the tournament commenced.
“This tournament has shown how the Zambian people love soccer and we have also seen the characteristic nature that this sport has in uniting people regardless of their different background. As patron of the Football Association of Zambia, I am extremely happy and we give glory to God for the victory,
“On behalf of Government and the people of the Republic of Zambia and indeed on my own behalf, l wish to extend hearty congratulations to Mr. Andrew Kamanga, the president of FAZ and his entire executive, the Ministry of Youth and Sport including other stakeholders for working hard to organise a successful tournament,” President Lungu said.
He urged soccer fans to continue rallying behind the young players for more goals to be recorded.
