JUSTIN SHONGA STEALS THE LIMELIGHT
By Timothy Malumo
Small in stature like a dynamite but very lethal on goal, that is how the newest National Team call-out Nkwazi Football Club Justin Shonga can best be described by many sports pundits.
Having played for the Junior Chipolopolo National Team in the Under 15 and Under 17 respectively but his latest drafting into the Senior squad by National Team Coach Wedson‘Wada’Nyirenda that participated in the Council of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) Cup 2017 edition which was hosted by South Africa, where the splendid performance of the lad in jersey number 12 put the goal poacher to stardom.
Shonga, who is an attacking midfielder, has made his presence felt in each game that he features by being on the score board as well as being the Man of the Match, thereby attracting attention from
It was during the South Africa outing of the 2017 COSAFA Cup Tournament and the subsequent Kenya 2018 CHAN qualifier games against Swaziland and South Africa, where Shonga bashed THE TWO Southern African teams back-to-back to book the Chipolopolo place in the 2018 CHAN .
Young Shonga caught the eyes of his boss, the Inspector General of Police Mr Kakoma Kanganja.
The Nkwazi player whose signature is being now trading his professional football in South Africa had his shoulders decorated by the Inspector General of Police Mr Kanganja.
From being a Constable Police officer under Chawama Police Station, Justin Shongajumped the rank of Sergeant to that of Inspector.
The football career of the Zambian goal poacherwhich dates back to Shonga’s hey days as a pupil in Chipata Town of the Eastern Province at Mpezeni School in 2005 and later at Chipata Day Secondary.
Shonga’s first National Duty call-out came in the year 2009 when the then Zambia Under 15 National Team Coach Happy Sichikola listed the boy as part of the squad that travelled to Botswana.
It was then that the young midfielder graduated to the Junior Chipolopolo Under 17 squad then under the tutorage of Coach Albert Mphande, who is now head Trainer for the Zambia Police sponsored outfit Nkwazi FC.
Upon his completion of his secondary school at Chipata Day, Justin Shonga had a short stay at Kabwe Warriors and later went back to Eastern Province to play for the Young Stars FC in Chipata before joining Zambia Police Service as a Recruit Constable at Lilayi Police College in 2015 where he continued with his scoring prowess, recording 16 goals in eight games in Division One for the
During the 2015 Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) MTN Super League, Nkwazi FC coach Elijah Chikwanda summoned the recruit Constable to his squad but later fail out of favour and was sent back to Police College Team.
Shonga reappeared at Nkwazi FC immediately after Albert Mphande took command of the police sponsored super division team for the 2016 FAZ/MTN Super League.
“I am very grateful to coach Mphande who has always believed in me throughout my football career.I also want to say thank you to George Lwandamina who called me first against Kenya game. I cannot leave out Coach Wedson Nyirenda,” Shonga said in an exclusive interview with the Police News.
Asked on the Zambian players who inspire him, Shonga without hesitation pointed out Rainford Kalaba and Stophila Sunzu.
“”Christian Ronaldo remains my number one source of inspiration. And for sure he is the best player,” Shonga said.
Shonga who has comfortably won the heart of National Team Coach Wedson Nyirenda has paid growing tribute to Nkwazi FC as he now focuses on South African PremierLeague.
Air Precision 2017