By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Kalusha Bwalya believes the Under-17 soccer team has gained enough exposure to compete favourably at the 2017 Africa Youth Championship.
Kalusha said with Zambia hosting the 2015 Africa Youth Championship, the core of the Under-17 players have gained the necessary experience to graduate to form the Under-20 soccer team in two years time.
He said despite the Under-17 early exit at the Niger 2015 Africa Junior Championship, a strong foundation had been laid on which the country will rely in two years time.
“We shall endeavour to keep this team. The boys will go home with the necessary experience needed at this level. This is the same foundation we shall use come 2017 when Zambia hosts the CAF Africa Youth Championship,” ‘Kalusha told fazfootball.com.
Meanwhile, Sports Minister Vincent Mwale has challenged the Under-20 squad to redeem Zambia at the forthcoming Africa Youth championship that kicks off in Senegal on March 8.
Mwale said in an interview yesterday that winning the Africa Youth Championship and qualifying for the New Zealand 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup will be a perfect gift to Republican President Edgar Lungu, who is also FAZ patron.
“We are now banking on the Under-20 team to deliver the desired results. They have to redeem the nation for the football failures that we have recorded this year and as Government, we are confident that they will put up a brave fight,” Mwale said.
Mwale said the 2014 COSAFA Youth Championship winning team remains Zambia’s only hope for silverware following disappointing outings by the Chipolopolo at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Equatorial Guinea and the Under-17 team in Niger as both failed to go past the group stage.
He said there was need for FAZ and the technical bench to build on the experience the team gained from the Niger tournament.
“Winning championships does not come by accident; it results from years of preparations. The German team that won the 2014 World Cup was a long term project that laid emphasis on youth teams and I think we can do the same with the massive talent we have,” he said.
He urged the Under-17 to put their exit behind and forge ahead as the stage would have been too big for them as they were participation at the tournament for the first time.
The team arrives back this afternoon.