U20-AFCON: Zambia will go for revenge against South Africa – Mulwanda

Photo Credit - Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).

Zambia national U20 team head coach Boyd Mulwanda has made it clear that his charges will be going for revenge when they face South Africa in their final Group A fixture of the CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt on Friday.

The Young Chipolopolo will need to win to qualify for the quarter-finals while South Africa will make the next stage if they secure a draw. More recently, South Africa defeated Zambia 2-0 in the 2024 COSAFA U-20 final during qualifying for this tournament with Shandre Campbell and Lee Ahshene being on the scoresheet.

According to Mulwanda, Zambia will be seeking revenge following the COSAFA defeat. “It is a very crucial and very important game for the team, we just have to be positive and get a positive result because the boys understand it is a game we have to win and move to the next round,” Mulwanda told FAZ Media.

“It going to be a different ball game, we know South Africa very well, they beat us in COSAFA, and we also just want to take that revenge, and beat them, we lost 2-0 in Mozambique, and I think we have to make amends because that is what we came to do here.

“We have worked on our finishing, we have told our boys to use the chances that we create, and get the goals that we need. I am sure even them (South Africa), they are aware that it’s not an easy game. Most of them were in Mozambique and they saw what happened, so from that I think everyone wants space to try and amend what we did.

“We can’t promise much but what I can say we are going to do our best and get the result that we deserve, and help the team to qualify to the quarter-finals. We have told the players what to do, and they know what is needed from them.”

Zambia are unbeaten after 0-0 draws with Sierra Leone and Egypt, followed by a 1-0 win over Tanzania while South Africa lost opener 1-0 against Egypt before recovering to beat Tanzania (1-0) and Sierra Leone (4-1).