By MICHAEL MIYOBA
ZAMBIA Under-17 coach George Chilufya says his charges are ready for the 2021 Region Five games scheduled to kick off today in Maseru, Lesotho.
Chilufya has named an 18-member squad for the games to run up to December 9 and set to compete in Group C alongside Malawi and Seychelles.
Chilufya has recalled seven players from last year’s group that picked silver at the regional championship in South Africa.
Leading the pack is last year’s joint top scorer Joseph Sabobo Banda, best goalkeeper Eric Makungu and enterprising midfielder Frank Chileshe.
The majority of players have graduated from the Under-15 team that competed at the second edition of the “Vlatko Markovic” Eight-Nation International Tournament, in Croatia last year.
Chilufya has roped in some of the lads from the squad that qualified for the Morocco 2021 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations that was cancelled five days before kick-off.
And speaking before departure for Maseru, Chilufya said the boys expect a tough tournament even though the defending champions South Africa are not taking part in the tournament.
“The team is ready for the tournament. We have 18 boys and preparations went well. We had three weeks of preps and a good number of boys turned up.”
The Young Chipolopolo will open their campaign with a clash against Malawi tomorrow before taking on Seychelles three days later.
“The first game is always important and we believe we are going to start on a good note.
“We have a great combination of players. The under 15 boys, some of them we went with them to the aborted AFCON in Morocco so they have the experience, they have the exposure and they have competed for positions in the team,” Chilufya said.
