Kennedy Gondwe BBC Sport, Lusaka

Gift Kampamba has not been called up for Zambia

Zambia's coach Patrick Phiri has excluded Russia based midfielder Gift Kampamba from the squad that faces Mozambique next month.

Team manager Solly Pandor announced that Kampamba has not been called for the Cosafa Castle Cup quarter final on May 10 in Lusaka.

He said the instrumental player is being reserved for Zambia's crucial home Nations Cup qualifiers against Tanzania and Sudan in June.

Pandor said the coaching staff has, however, summoned three professionals for the Mozambique clash.

They are striker Milton Tembo (Ulm, Germany), defender Sashi Chalwe (Sundowns, South Africa) and goalkeeper Davies Phiri (Golden Arrows, South Africa).

"At the moment, we only need these professionals. The Africa Cup games are different and that is the time we will call other players like Gift," he said.

Pandor said Phiri has made further changes on local players, dropping three from the squad that played Tanzania last month and inviting four new faces.

He disclosed the players go into residential camp on Monday after attending the 10th memorial service of the Zambian air crash.

However, doubts still persist over the Cosafa Cup clash, as Mozambique have threatened not to travel to Lusaka.

The Mozambicans have complained about alleged anti-Lusophone bias in the Cosafa Cup draw.

The squad: Goalkeepers- Davies Phiri, Steven Kabwe and Sydney Tembo.
Defenders- Laughter Chilembe, Charles Bwale, Vincent Mangamu, Joseph Musonda, Elijah Tana, Sashi Chalwe and Ronald Mukosha.
Midfielders- Ian Bakala, Misheck Lungu, Christopher Katongo, Clement Mulenga and Isaac Chansa.
Strikers- Francis Kombe, Rotson Kilambe, Dudley Fichite, Harry Milanzi, Masautso Phiri, Milton Tembo and Songwe Chalwe.