By GODFREY DUBE –
TWO Japanese select handball sides are expected in the country next week for an international friendly tournament set for March 18 at the Olympics Youth Development Centre (OYDC).
Zambia will also be using this tournament to prepare for the Africa junior women championship.
Handball Association of Zambia (HAZ) president Victor Banda confirmed the development in an interview and added that to also make the tournament will be the Zimbabwean men senior team and the girls’ under-20 side.
Banda said the two countries are expected to arrive in the country next week Wednesday (March 16) to participate in the tournament.
He said the Japanese teams will be under-20 boys’ sides that will play against the under-20 teams from Zambia while the Zimbabwean senior teams (men and women) will play their Zambia counterparts.
“The friendlies are aimed exposing the under-20 girls’ national team who are preparing for the Africa junior championship coming this September in Tunisia and the senior to have a feel of international standards of the game,” he said.
Banda said all the preparations are going on smoothly stating the Zambian teams have started their preparations ahead of the friendlies.
He has since urged the girls’ under-20 team to prepare adequately and use the friendly games as a stepping stone knowing the huge challenge coming in September.
“It is not going to be an easy tournament for the girls, we want them to get used to the game and making sure they learn something new from different countries before the championship” he said.