The Zambia Under-17 national team, defending champions of the COSAFA U17 tournament, began their CAF U-17 Boys AFCON | COSAFA Qualifier 2026 campaign on a disappointing note after falling 4-0 to South Africa in their opening match on Thursday.
Speaking during the post-match press conference, Young Chipolopolo coach Chris Kaunda admitted that his side struggled to cope with the intensity of their opponents, describing South Africa as the “better team on the day.”
“Well, these young boys tried to play the way they have been trained, but South Africa was just a better team for us. That’s what I can say,” Kaunda said.
Despite the heavy defeat, the coach remained optimistic that Zambia could still bounce back in their quest to qualify for the continental finals.
“We still got two games to play, so we still have a long way to go. We just need to win the next two games with good margins. Otherwise, we’re still there,” he stated.
Kaunda pointed to inexperience as a major factor in the poor start, noting that several players were featuring at international level for the first time.
“When we started, maybe the boys got scared. Some of them are playing international football for the first time, so no exposure makes it very difficult. They learn as the situation progresses. That’s why you saw in the second half, after we talked to them, they played very well, although it was unfortunate we conceded an own goal,” he explained.
Asked if he expected such a result, Kaunda admitted: “No, we never expected this result, but it has come. Our boys couldn’t compete in the first half, and South Africa took advantage.”
The Young Chipolopolo will now look to regroup quickly as they prepare for their second group game against Malawi on September 14 at 15:00hrs at the Hearts Stadium. Victory will be crucial if Zambia are to keep their title defense hopes alive.
