Robert ‘Sugar Sugar’ Banda came off the bench to put the icing on the cake as the Zambia U17 National team saw off Mexico in a friendly.
Banda came off the bench to score the third goal with a solo effort in additional time to seal the win.
Mexico took the lead early on but talisman Abel Salim Nyirongo leveled matters in the 34th minute from the penalty spot after Kelvin Chipelu was brought down in the box.
Jonathan Kalimina scored a freekick in the 88th minute to put Zambia in the lead before ‘the sugar boy’ could seal the win, 3-1.
Sporting Lusaka utility player James Sibeene captained the side.
The Young Copper Bullets are in Dubai for a ten day camp ahead of the 2025 U17 FIFA World Cup.
The Dennis Makinka coached side are in Group H with Brazil, Honduras, and Indonesia.
Zambia will open their 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign against Indonesia on November 4.
Subject: Reviving the Spirit of the Zambia Game
Good afternoon, Chief Editor,
I write to express my concern about the current state of our men’s national soccer team. Zambian football has become rather uninspiring lately, and as a nation, we need to rekindle the old KK11 spirit that once united and excited us all.
It’s not only the level of play that seems to have declined, but also the national support and enthusiasm. The only bright spot at the moment appears to be our women’s national team, the Shepolopolo, who continue to make us proud.
To bring back excitement and fan engagement, I would like to propose organizing a special exhibition match — perhaps between the current Chipolopolo team and the 2012 AFCON-winning squad. Fans could be invited to vote, predict scores, and participate in fun activities around the event.
Even better, this could be organized to mark next year’s Independence Day celebrations, making it not just a sporting occasion but also a unifying national event.
The day could feature a double-header, starting with a friendly between the legendary Kalusha Bwalya-led team and the 2012 champions. Such an event would celebrate our football heritage and reignite national pride in the game.
Warm regards,