Zambia had to field three British-based students in their international against Ghana on Wednesday after their South African-based players failed to get visas to travel to Britain in time.

Zambia had just nine players available for the meeting with the Black Stars and two more arrived just before half-time of the match at Leyton Orient’s ground in London.

They added the students Lyson Zulu, who was a former Premier League player in Zambia, as well as Kasase Kabwe and Lengwe Kapotwe, who was on the only player on the bench. But he came on after just eight minutes when Njambe Mulenga was injured.

Emmanuel Mayuka, who plays in Armenia, and William Njobvu, who has just moved to Israel, pitched up 10 minutes before half-time and were immediately brought on, replacing Kabwe and Kapotwe, by then running out of breath.

Not surprisingly, Zambia lost 4-1 to Ghana, who might had added a few more had they not been somewhat merciful in the second half of the game.

Zambia played the last 50 minutes down to 10 men after defender Denis Banda was sent off.

The incident will be of widespread embarrassment to Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya, who is also a 2010 World Cup ambassador.

It has exposed poor planning and inefficiency among his staff members, many of whom are drawn from his group of close friends.

A bid to get visas for key players to travel to London was only made on Monday. Not surprisingly the paperwork was not concluded in time to get the players to travel to Britain.

The five Premier Soccer League-based players, including Free State Stars goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene and Lamontville Golden Arrows captain Joseph Musonda, attempted to get their visas at the British High Commission in Pretoria on Monday, which was closed because it was a public holiday.