Patrice Beaumelle has excused TP Mazembe midfielder Rainford Kalaba from Zambia’s June 6 friendly away to Japan.
Beaumelle said all call-ups from DR Congo club Mazembe and Zambia champions Nkana have all been excused from international assignments to concentrate on their CAF club cup obligations during that same period.
The development will also see Nkana striker’s Evans Kangwa and Reynold Kampamba ruled out of the friendly to be played in Tampa, Florida in the USA.
“TP Mazembe and Nkana players will not be part of us to allow them to prepare for their games,” Beaumelle said.
“We have a lot of players and I have about 50-60 players that come in and out of the squad at any time, so it is not a big problem.”
Kalaba is one of three Mazembe call-ups in Beaumelle’s provisional team for the Japan friendly.
Others are defender Kabaso Chongo and striker Given Singuluma.
Mazembe will host Egyptian side Zamalek in a 2014 CAF Champions League Group A match in Lubumbashi 24 hours after Zambia’s friendly with Japan.
Nkana, on the other hand, will be away that same weekend in Tunisia to play Etoile du Sahel in a 2014 CAF Confederation Cup Group B tie.