The Zambia U20 Men National Team continued to fine-tune for the COSAFA U20 Championship 2024 with a warm-up match against MTN Super League campaigners ZANACO FC at Sunset stadium in Lusaka.

Saviour Phiri and Wilson Chisala aided the seven-time champions to a 2-0 win over the young Chipolopolo in a match that served as a crucial test for Boyd Mulwanda’s side as they gear up for the tournament.

On the other hand, the Bankers were using the match to prepare for their MTN Super League encounter with Power Dynamos on Saturday.

At the COSAFA U20 Championship 2024, Zambia are in Group B alongside Angola and Namibia at the tournament set for Maputo in Mozambique from September 26-October 5. Madagascar was to complete the line-up in the group but the Island nation withdrew from the competition.

The young Chipolopolo will launch their defensive title hunt with a match against Angola on 27 September before entertaining Namibia on 1 October.12 teams will compete for the regional trophy at the competition that serves as qualifiers for the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations next year.

The finalists at this year’s COSAFA will qualify for the continental showpiece. Zambia are record 12-time winners of the COSAFA U20, followed by South Africa with eight, Zimbabwe with six, and Madagascar and Mozambique with one title each.