Nthala reveals plan ahead of Zambia U20 Women’s return leg against Burundi

Zambia Under-20 women’s national team coach Charity Nthala says her side will reinforce its midfield and attack as they look to defend their 2-1 away advantage over Burundi in the 2026 FIFA Women’s U20 World Cup qualifiers.

The Young Copper Queens edged Burundi in a hard-fought first leg in Bujumbura and now return home for Saturday’s second leg, where victory would secure passage to the third round of the qualifiers for the tournament to be hosted by Poland.

Speaking after a recovery session in Bujumbura, Nthala said the squad is in good shape but stressed the need for tactical improvements.
“After the game yesterday, today [Saturday] we had a recovery with the girls. They’re looking good, and tomorrow we’ll have a full training session. Yes, we had a positive result, but looking at our opponents, they looked strong. We have to reinforce the team when we go back home so that we can make it and qualify to the next round,” she said.

She highlighted midfield and attacking issues as key areas to address.
“I think the midfield looked shaky and the front line was not so sharp, so we need to reinforce the strikers and the midfield,” Nthala added.

On fitness, Nthala said the technical bench ensured all players were at the same level.

“Those who played yesterday and those who didn’t played did separate sessions today to cover up the work. We’ll now start the tactical approach tomorrow. Their fitness level is not bad; they are okay,” she said.

Nthala urged her players to maintain composure under home pressure.
“They need to remain focused because at home they’ll be playing under pressure. The lead that we have, we must maintain it and should not allow any goal at home. If possible, we need to score first so we don’t play under pressure in the second half,” she said.

The coach also appealed to Zambian fans to rally behind the team.
“We are just asking for the fans to turn up in numbers to give us morale. When you’re playing at home and people are cheering, you feel comfortable, and I think the girls will deliver even more than they did away,” she said.

Nthala encouraged players who missed selection to stay motivated.
“To those we dropped, I’d like to encourage them to stay focused. This isn’t the last time they’ll be called. If they do better at their clubs, they’ll be reconsidered for the next round,” she said.

Looking ahead, Nthala said an early cushion would secure their place.
“If we can score two goals, we’ll be settled. They’d have to score four, and that would take the pressure off us,” she concluded.

The second leg will be played this Saturday, with Zambia aiming to continue their march toward Poland 2026.