By Mubukwanu Kaingu
Zambia Under 20 national team coach Boyd Mulwanda says he fully understands expectations of defending their COSAFA U20 Cup title when they take to the field this afternoon in Maputo.
The COSAFA U20 Cup returns for the first time since 2022 and Mozambique is hosting it from September 26 to October 5 in Maputo.
Zambia won the last tournament beating this year’s hosts Mozambique 1-0 in the final of the tournament hosted by Eswatini.
Young Chipolopolo takes on Angola in their opening Group B match.
Namibia is the third team in Group B that now only contains three teams after Madagascar withdrew from the 2024 COSAFA U20 Cup.
“We are the defending champions and we have to come here to defend the trophy,” Mulwanda said.
This will be Mulwanda’s debut as a head of a junior national team following an assistant role including one at Under 23.
“The first game is very important and the result will determine how far we go so we have told them to go all out with attacking football,” Mulwanda said.
This will be the second successive tournament meeting against Angola whom they met in the semifinals and beat 3-2 on post-match penalties following a 1-1 result.
Mulwanda’s team includes Zesco United midfielder David Simukonda who had an impressive 2023/2024 season and helped inspire his club to a second-place finish in the league.
A quartet of Under 17 players who were part of the 2023 U17 in Algeria that includes striker Emmanuel Mwanza who scored 3 goals at that tournament.
The COSAFA U20 Cup will be the southern zone qualification tournament for the 2025 U20 AFCON South Africa will host at dates to be announced.
The group winners and one best overall third-placed side from the preliminary stage will advance to the COSAFA U20 Cup semifinals.
The two finalists will qualify for the U20 AFCON.
Zambia is gunning for back-to-back U20 AFCON qualification after making a group stage exit at the 2023 tournament in Egypt.
