MAGAZETI YA LEO ALHAMISI

MAGAZETI YA LEO KWA HISANI YA IVORI CHOCOLATE

Zambia toil to U20 AFCON final

Zambia are through to the 2017 U20 AFCON finals after beating South Africa in a gruelling semifinal clash at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

It took extra-time to divide the two Cosafa archrivals after fulltime finished 0-0 as Zambia toiled to their third straight victory over South Africa in a space of three months.

Edward Chilufya broke the deadlock in the 110th minute.

But both sides had chances to finish the match in regulation time with South Africa defender Sandile Mthethwa seeing his header going just wide in the 70th minute.

Enock Mwepu fortunate shot in the 80th minute hit the upright while Patson Daka fine volley was saved by Mohdli Mpoto.

Zambia now await in the March 12 final at Heroes winner of Thursday’s semifinal clash between Guinea and Senegal in Ndola.

This is Zambia’s debut final appearance after finishing 4th twice in 1999 and 2007.

Zanaco ready for Young Africans

Zanaco coach Mumamba Numba has declared his side ready for Saturday’s away CAF Champions League match against Young Africans in Tanzania.

The FAZ Super Division champions leaves for Tanzania on Thursday morning ahead of the first leg match of the first round in Dar-es

Salaam, Numba said Zanaco are prepared to face the club coached by Zambian trainer George “Chicken” Lwandamina.

“The most important thing is good preparations we have done enough home work we are ready for the game that side.

From what we have seen so far we are set and ready to go and get a positive result in Tanzania,” he said.

Numba believes home ground advantage won’t be a factor when Zanaco confronts YANGA away in East Africa.

“Football now has changed there is no home ground advantage the most important thing is application that is what matters.

If we go with same attitude we went with in Rwanda we should be able to come out with a good result,” Numba said.

He added that knowing YANGA coach Lwandamina is an encouragement to Zanaco.

“Mr Lwandamina is somebody we know, somebody we have worked with, we know his philosophy. I think that is what gives us encouragement as we go there I do not think he is going to change much.”

Zanaco are in the first round of Africa’s biggest club competition after eliminating APR of Rwanda 1-0 over two legs at the preliminary stage.

Arsene Wenger's Arsenal future remains bleak as fans and pundits call for him to leave

Is now the time for Wenger to go?

Vicki Hodges 

Arsene Wenger's future at Arsenal remains bleak after Bayern Munich completed a 10-2 aggregate rout over them in the Champions League.

With fans protesting before the game and supporters inside unfurling banners demanding Wenger to go, the Frenchman remained quiet on his future afterwards.

"I don't know," he would only say when asked if he will manage Arsenal in the Champions League again.

"You always write for headlines, I am here to speak about football not my future. I think tonight there was no uncertainty in our game. I felt that we played very well and it was more the decisions of the referee who killed the game."

With the pressure mounting on Wenger, Theo Walcott became the most vocal player today to offer his support to his beleaguered manager.

Walcott has said the club must stop the in-fighting and channel that aggression to help take the heat off Wenger.

Arsenal face non-league opposition in Lincoln in the FA Cup quarter finals on Saturday with the Cup their only hope of silverware now this season.

Theo Walcott has urged his team-mates to put their infighting behind them and reunite under Wenger.

Walcott's goal against Bayern had lifted Arsenal's spirits before their second-half capitulation and the England forward wants his side to stop the arguments and get on with the job in hand as they attempt to save their season.

“The manager is focused on us. You can see how passionate he is with us from the way he talks to us in the meetings," Walcott says in the Evening Standard.

“He will take this on himself but us players need to look at ourselves. The manager has been taking a lot of flak in recent weeks and us players have been accepting it, but we can’t.

“We need to take the pressure off the manager and that will happen by performances. Who knows what the manager will do? Players just want to play football for this club and do well for the manager.”

On the rumours of Sanchez's training ground walk out, Walcott added: “Things get taken out of proportion — we all know this. There are certain things that happen at training grounds.

“I’m sure it happens at every other training ground, most of the time, really.

“You don’t see it often at Arsenal. Things have happened. They need to stay in the dressing room and the players and staff need to sort it out. We are in it together here. We can’t be fighting each other.

“I don’t really want to go into it but the stuff that has gone on did not affect our first half here. At certain times when things don’t go well, you don’t want to have anything in your head that you are giving up."

MAADHIMISHO YA SIKU YA WANAWAKE DUNIANI MANISPAA YA IRINGA YAFANA

Mgeni Rasmi Katibu tawala wa wilaya ya Iringa, Joseph Chintika (mwenye suti ya bluu) akipokea maandamano ya wanawake kutoka manispaa ya Iringa walipokuwa wakiwasili katika viwanja vya Mwembetogwa jana katika maadhimisho ya siku ya wanawake duniani, manispaa ya Iringa, mkoani Iringa. Kulia kwake ni Meya wa Manispaa ya Iringa Alex Kimbe, kaimu mkurengenzi wa manispaa ya Iringa Charles Lawiso na kushoto ni Naibu meya Joseph Lyata. (Picha na Friday Simbaya)