Zambia U20 Coach Boyd Mulwanda Rallies Team Ahead of Crucial AFCON Clash with Tanzania

Lusaka, 5 May 2025 — Zambia U20 national team coach Boyd Mulwanda has urged his players to give everything when they face Tanzania in a must-win Group A encounter at the TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday. Kick-off is set for 17:00 CAT.

Speaking to the FAZ Media Team during a training session, Mulwanda emphasized the importance of the match as Zambia looks to keep their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive.

“We started preparing for the game against Tanzania yesterday with the boys doing recovery. It was good that there were no injury concerns, and everyone looked positive,” he said. “This morning we worked on our finishing and creating chances. The boys have shown they want to win this match—it’s crucial for us.”

Zambia has yet to record a win in the tournament, having drawn and lost in their first two outings. Mulwanda acknowledged the mounting pressure but remained optimistic.

“Football is a game of pressure. We didn’t win a match in the last edition, and this time we’ve played two games without a win. We need to win both remaining games to stay in contention,” he stated.

He also warned that Tanzania, who are also chasing qualification, will not be easy opponents.

“Even Tanzania believes that if they can win their last two games, they can qualify. That makes it very tricky. But looking at the way our boys are responding in training, I believe we can carry the day.”

The young Chipolopolo will need a strong performance to turn their campaign around, and Mulwanda is banking on better finishing to make the difference.

“In every game we’ve played, we’ve created chances. If we can just convert those, we are likely to win.”