AFTER missing three successive African Youth Championships, the Zambia Under-20 soccer squad makes a return to the tournament which has produced some of the continent’s finest players.
Zambia last appeared at the CAF Under-20 Championship when Congo Brazzaville hosted the event in 2007 but went on to miss out at the 2009, 2011 and 2013 editions.
This will be Zambia’s eighth appearance at the CAF Under-20 Championship since its inception in 1979.
The African Youth Championship acts as a qualifier for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup finals and Zambia has appeared on the global stage twice – 1999 and 2007.
Four semi-finalists from the continental championship automatically qualify to the Under-20 World Cup finals.
Patrick Phiri and George Lwandamina led the classes of 1999 and 2009 to the World Cup and it is now every Zambian’s hope that current coach, Hector Chilombo will guide this talented squad to the global showpiece this year.
Reports from Senegal so far indicate that this Under-20 team is determined to reach the World Cup and also make history by winning the African Under-20 title.
The Under-20 squad holds hopes for the nation following the poor showing by the senior and Under-17 teams at their respective African championships.
Chilombo’s side has a huge task of redeeming the nation and I hope the Lubambo Musonda-captained side will be able to stand up to the challenge when the tournament kicks-off in Senegal today.
Honour Janza’s Chipolopolo failed to come out of the group stage at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea while the Under-17 team of Chris Kaunda after a lot of promise also flopped at the just-ended continental tournament in Niger.
I believe lessons have been learnt from the two national teams’ failure to conquer Africa this year and hope Chilombo will put smiles back on Zambians’ faces.
For a trip to New Zealand later this year, our Under-20 lads need to negotiate their way first past Mali, Ghana and South Africa in Group B.
Mali will be the first hurdle for these junior Chipolopolo tomorrow night on the synthetic turf of Stade Caroline Faye.
I can only wish the team the best of luck in the Atlantic Ocean city of Mbour. For comments email:malungaf@gmail.com