By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
THE Zambia Under-17 national team this afternoon steps up a gear in its preparations for the Niger 2015 Africa Junior Championship with a friendly match against South Africa at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Both Zambia and South Africa qualified to Africa’s biggest under-17 football showpiece and this game comes as a perfect spice to a blend the two are preparing for the tournament.
South Africa has made a number of changes from the team that performed poorly at the Africa Union Sports Commission (AUSC) Region Five Youth Games in Zimbabwe.
The South Africans started the AUSC Region Five Youth Games with a 6-1 loss to eventual champions Zambia before losing to Namibia and drawing against Lesotho.
Zambia coach Chris Kaunda says this game will be an ideal dose for the new players who were added late to the team so that they get to taste international football.
Kaunda decided to bring in a blend of new players to his team to increase competition and widen the selection scop.
This friendly appears to give newcomers a perfect time for exposure.
Other players in Kaunda’s squad are already exposed, having gone to Italy for a junior tournament last year and also taken part in the African Junior Championship qualifiers as well as the Africa Airtel Rising Stars tournament.
“We have a number of new players and this is chance for them to get a feel of international football. Local and international football are two different animals and the boys need to adapt fast,” he said.
The new inclusions are from the 2014 Airtel Rising Stars, who never got to play in the continental tournament scuttled due to concerns of the Ebola pandemic.
South African coach Molefi Ntseki is looking at giving his charges a kick to get them into the mood for high class competitive football with this international friendly.
The team’s under-17 media officer, Namhla Mphelo said in an interview that the South Africa Under-17 , popularly called Amajimbos have been in camp only since Monday this week and were low on fitness.
“So this outing to us is more about giving the boys the fitness they need going into the Africa Championships. It’s only us and Zambia who have qualified to the African championships from this region so we have to help each other.
“In as much as we will be getting out fitness from playing Zambia, they (players) will also be getting international competition from us so this is for helped each other, same with what the seniors did last week (When South Africa beat Zambia 2-1),” Mphelo said.
Patson Daka should lead the Zambia team and one player who will be on the minds of the Zambian team is inspirational midfielder Changwe Kalale, who is still in hospital after a road accident last month when he was going to join the senior national tea in camp.
South Africa on the other hand will look to Khanyisa Mayo for inspiration though team captain Nelson Maluleka could miss the game with a knock.
After this, South Africa plays Nigeria next weekend in Abuja.