Mozambique are set to be led by former international striker Dario Monteiro at the COSAFA Men’s Under-20 Championship to be staged in Lusaka, Zambia from December 4-14.

Monteiro has recently taken over at Desportivo de Maputo in the Mozambican league but is still expected to lead the Under-20 side on their quest for regional glory. The 42-year-old enjoyed an illustrious career in Portugal and South Africa and made almost 90 senior international appearances for the Mambas over a 15-year international career.

Mozambique are still searching for their first-ever COSAFA Under-20 Championships title having been beaten finalists in 2008. They lost to then hosts South Africa on that occasion but will be hoping to go one better this time round after disappointingly losing out in the first round of the event in the last seven instalments.

They did narrowly miss out on the semifinals in Botswana in 2011, the hosts just pipping them on goal-difference in a three-team pool that also included Swaziland. And in 2016 they finished their three-team pool with two draws and so lost out to DR Congo for a place in the knockout stages.

In 2017 they returned home early with a single win and two defeats, though they were in a tough pool with eventual champions South Africa and North African guest nation Egypt.

And last year they were unbeaten after a win over Central African guest nation DR Congo was followed by draws against Malawi and Zambia, which both ended 1-1.

They will wait to find out their opponents in 2019 when the draw is held in Lusaka on November 15.