Zambia’s COSAFA Men’s Under-17 Championship winning coach Oswald Mutapa has been handed the chance to take charge of the side that will compete at the COSAFA Men’s Under-20 Championships in Lusaka from December 4-14.
Mutapa has immediately got to work and summoned 42 players to camp this week to commence preparations in Lusaka.
The team will be trimmed further after the camp as the technical bench zeroes in on the final squad.
Zambia will be hosting the COSAFA championship for a third year running with the previous two editions held in Kitwe, and both won by South Africa.
The call-ups are a mixture of the COSAFA Under-17 winners in 2017 and 2019, with a few new additions also given a chance.
Zambia are the most successful nation in the COSAFA Under-20 Championship competition with 11 victories in all, their last win coming in South Africa in 2016.
Zambia were rampant as they stormed through that competition and inflicted a 2-1 defeat on their hosts in the decider.
They went on to claim the African Youth Championships title the following year, and also excelled at the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in South Korea.
But the side disappointed in the COSAFA Under-20 Championship on home soil in 2017, bowing out in the first round after a defeat to East African guest nation Uganda was followed by a draw with Malawi and a win over Swaziland.
They made the semifinals in 2018, but lost 2-1 to Zimbabwe and missed out on a bronze medal with defeat by the same scoreline to Angola in the third-place play-off.
Zambia provisional squad:
Goalkeepers: Prince Bwalya (Green Buffaloes FC), Iford Mwale (Vector FC), Flobby Mashakalati (Nchanga Rangers), Phillip Malunga (Young Power Dynamos)
Defenders: Christopher Katongo (Mpande Youth Academy), Kingsley Hakwiya (Jumulo FC), Hillary Mwiinga (Red Arrows FC), Osward Banda (Ndola Youth Soccer Academy), Issah Kazembe (Ndola United), Vincent Chate (Young Power Dynamos), Justin Mwanza (Young Nkana), William Chungu (Chirundu United), John Chishimba (Zesco United), Golden Mafweta (Zanaco), Musonda Zado Zulu (Lusaka Youth)
Midfielders: Benson Kolala (Forest Rangers), Thomas Zulu (Kafue Celtic), Jones Katongo Mambwe (Vicrich Academy), Muma Mumba (Green Eagles), Patrick Gondwe (Young Nkana), Chanda Mukuka (Gomes FC), Musonda Kalale (Chambeshi FC), Modesto Mulenga Mwamba (Nchanga Rangers), Kelvin Chisenga (Vicrich Academy), Prince Mumba (Kabwe Warriors), Christian Nshindano (HK Rovers), Kelvin Njovu (Jumulo FC), Gilbert Ntetani (Young Power Dynamos), Ihembi Kameya (HK Rovers), Kelvin Mwanza (MUZA FC)
Strikers: Augustine Kapenda (Modern Skills Academy), Martin Njobvu (Kansanshi Dynamos), Francisco Mwepu (Kafue Celtic), Elliot Kampukesa (Nchanga Rangers), Mundia Phiri (Romeki), Enock Sakala Jr (Zesco United), Kangwa Sinyangwe (Gomes FC), Godfrey Mashata (Green Buffaloes), Dalitso Moono (Chibombo Secondary School), Lyonze Emmanuel Mwiinde (Buildcon), Jonathan Munalula (Roan United), Ricky Banda (Jumulo FC)
