Zambia Under-23 coach Chisi Mbewe says he is pleased with the progress made during the first week of camp as the Junior Chipolopolo prepare for the 2027 Africa U23 Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Mbewe has been assessing 45 players in camp, with strong competition for places giving the technical bench plenty to consider ahead of the qualifiers.
The Junior Chipolopolo stepped up their preparations with a 4-3 friendly victory over Kafue Celtics at Nkoloma Stadium.
Philimon Chilimina scored twice, while Eliya Mandanji and Antony Chipanuka were also on target as Mbewe’s side secured the win.
The coach says the level of commitment shown by the players has made the selection process both challenging and encouraging.
“The boys are showing the hunger to be part of the team. They are pushing, and it is not going to be easy for us to come up with the team,” Mbewe said.
Mbewe has also welcomed the involvement of players from the Under-20 set-up, saying their inclusion has further intensified competition within the squad.
The technical bench will now continue monitoring the players before naming the squad that will represent Zambia in the qualifiers.
Zambia will face either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso in the second round, with the two-legged tie scheduled for 9 and 17 November.
The winner will progress in the race to qualify for the 2027 Africa U23 Cup of Nations.
