By Mark Gleeson
Lusaka - Striker Rotson Kilambe returned from international suspension to score two stunning goals as Zambia beat Mozambique 3-0 in Saturday's Cosafa Castle Cup quarterfinal in Lusaka.
Kilambe, banned for the last nine months by FIFA after a positive dope test after a World Cup qualifier last July, marked his comeback with two long range strikes that secured Zambia's place in the semifinals of the annual regional championship.
His first came after 10 minutes as he cut inside from the left wing, beat two defenders and struck home from the edge of the Mozambican penalty area.
Kilambe, who missed January's African Nations Cup finals in Mali because of the ban, scored his second after half-time with an equally ferocious shot from 30 metres.
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Fellow striker Chaswe Nsofwa had given Zambia a 2-0 lead at half-time after scoring from a tight angle in the 38th minute.
They might have had a fourth goal when Mozambique's defender Mano-Mano turned the ball against the underside of his own crossbar but it bounced back to safety.
New Zambia coach Patrick Phiri kept just three players from the Nations Cup squad in his starting line up and handed debuts to defenders Shashi Chalwe and Joseph Musonda.
Mozambique forced just one save out of Zambian goalkeeper when Nando's strike from long range forced an awkward save out of Davies Phiri.
It was the seventh win in nine matches for Zambia over Mozambique with the other two matches drawn.
Zambia, twice past winners, join Malawi and Swaziland in the last four of the southern African championship. The last of the quarter-final games will be played on July 21 when South Africa host Madagascar in Port Elizabeth.
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