Kumasi, Jan.14, GNA - Thirty officials and players of the Zambia National team, Chipolopolo (The Bullets) arrived in Kumasi on Monday for the 26th MTN Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2008 soccer fiesta. The Zambians are billed to play alongside, Cameroon, Egypt and Sudan and were met on arrival at the Kumasi Airport by Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) who is Chairman of the Kumasi Venue local Organizing Committee (KVLOC) of the tournament.
Also at the Airport to welcome the Zambian team to the "Garden City, who are the first to arrive in the country for the competition, were Madam Patricia Appiagyei, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Officials from the National Sports Council, Security Personnel and other members of the KVLOC as well as some soccer enthusiasts. From the Airport the contingent was led to the refurbished Kumasi City Hotel now with the brand name, Golden Tulip of Kumasi where they held a press conference to outline their preparedness for the competition, which kick-starts on January 20.
Mr. Patrick Phiri, the National Coach of the Chipolopolo expressed happiness about the warm reception accorded them by the people of Ghana on their arrival and said it had boosted the morale of both the players and officials to put up their best performance at the tourney. He said the team included experienced local and international players who are poised to defend Zambia at all levels of the competition.
The Captain of the Team, Christopher Katongo indicated the readiness of the players to work together as a team to annex for the ultimate Cup. "We will do our best to protect and defend our Nation during the tournament and hope the Ghanaian sporting public would lend us their support Ghana following the warm reception given us".
