GRANT UNVEILS CHIPOLOPOLO SQUAD
…to play international friendlies against Sudan and Tunisia
By Cecilia Nayame
ZAMBIA Under-20 national team captain Joseph ‘Sabobo’ Banda is part the 25-member provisional squad that Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant has named ahead of the FIFA international friendly matches against Sudan and Tunisia.
Banda, who features for FC Zurich in Switzerland was instrumental during the U20 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Egypt early this month.
Despite the team’s elimination in the group stages of the tournament, Banda, walked away with two player of the match awards.
Zambia will face Sudan on June 6 and will take one Tunisia four days later.
According to a list released by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) in Lusaka yesterday, the Chipolopolo will use the two friendly matches to prepare for the remaining FIFA World Cup qualifiers set for September and October respectively.
Players will undergo a fitness test ahead of the Morocco assignment.
Zambia has been placed in Group E of the World Cup qualifiers alongside 2022 World Cup semifinalists Morocco, Niger and Tanzania.
“The technical bench is using the friendly games as part of preparations for the Group E September round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers when the Chipolopolo host the Atlas Lions of Morocco before facing Tanzania and Niger in October,” the statement reads.
The team will also use the friendly matches to prepare for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) championship to be held in Morocco this December.
“The team is expected to be trimmed down prior to departure for Morocco but the technical bench has kept the door open for possible inclusions prior to the September qualifiers,” it reads.
Chipolopolo qualified for the AFCON after topping Group G with 13 points ahead of African Champions Cotéd’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Chad.
The team recorded four wins, one draw and a loss to book their back-to-back AFCON ticket.
The team will face Comoros, Mali and hosts Morocco in Group A of the AFCON tournament running from this December to January 2026.
Full team:
Goalkeepers: Toaster Nsabata (Zesco), Francis Mwansa (Green Buffaloes), Willard Mwanza (Power Dynamos),
Defenders: Gift Mphande (Rishon LeZion-Israel), Dominic Chanda (Power Dynamos), Kabaso Chongo, Killian Kanguluma (both Kabwe Warriors), Obino Chisala (Al Merreikh-Sudan), David Hamansenya (Leganes-Spain), Benedict Chepeshi (Zesco United),
Midfielders: Benson Sakala (Boleslav Mlada-Czech Republic), Miguel Chaiwa (BSC Young Boys-Switzerland), Kings Kangwa (Hapoel Beer’Sheva-Israel), Golden Mafwenta (MFK Vyskov-Czech Republic), Emmanuel Banda (Al Tai-Saudi Arabia), Joshua Mutale (Simba Sc-Tanzania), Kelvin Kapumbu (Zanaco), Owen Tembo (Power Dynamos),
Strikers: Patson Daka (Leicester City-England), Edward Chilufya (Midtjylland-Denmark), Clatous Chama, Kennedy Musonda (both Young Africans-Tanzania), Lubambo Musonda (Magdeburg-Germany), Kelvin Kampamba (Al Medina-Libya), Joseph Sabobo Banda (FC Zurich-Switzerland).
