Zambian footballers lose money in Mozambique's hotel

Six Zambia national soccer team players and the team's physiotherapist lost over 1,000 U.S. dollars moments before the team played Mozambique in a 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier in Maputo, the Times of Zambia reported on Tuesday.

The players found their rooms bungled into and their money and personal valuables missing when they got back to their hotel rooms after having lunch ahead of the game on Sunday.

Lee Kawanu, the team's delegation leader, said that about 1,050 dollars cash was stolen from the team that lodged at Afrin Prestige Hotel, a five star hotel in the center of the Mozambican capital.

"It is very disappointing that a five star hotel can allow such baloney to happen. But this has not dampened the mood in the team at all and we are happy that during the match, the affected players showed of signs of being distracted by the incident," he was quoted as saying by the paper.

The affected players lost between 50 and 200 dollars each, he added.

The official added that the matter has since been handed to the Zambian Embassy in that country after hotel management failed to deal with it while the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) decided to refund the players their money.

"We have asked the Embassy to follow up the matter on our behalf and they have engaged the Diplomatic Police to help get to the bottom of the matter. I'm confident we will get to the bottom of this issue. But this is really unacceptable," he added.

Zambia managed to qualify to the finals of the 2016 CHAN finals to be hosted by Rwanda in January on a 4-1 aggregate.

The Chipolopolo thumped Mozambique 3-0 in the first leg before settling for a 1-all draw with the Mambas in the return leg. Endit