Following two days of training in Cairo ahead of the Total Energies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Black Satellites will, on Tuesday, 22nd April 2025, play a friendly match against Zambia at 6pm local time at the Folip Gardens Hotel football grounds located in Cairo.
This match will give Coach Desmond Ofei and the Technical team the opportunity to try out strategies and tactics that they have put the team through over the final weeks of their preparation for the tournament.
Zambia’s Under-20 team are also in Egypt for the Total Energies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and have been drawn in the five-nation Group A alongside tournament hosts, Egypt, as well as South Africa, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
It is the expectation of the Management and Technical team that the Black Satellites have a good game against Zambia (who have a good pedigree at U-20 level) and apply the learnings and strategies practised during their training sessions.
Zambia has qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup on previous occasions in 2007 and 2017. They have also qualified to the U-20 African Cup of Nations on numerous occasions, winning the 2017 edition after defeating Senegal 2-0 in the final. Coached by the experienced Boyd Mulwanda, the Junior Chipolopolo, as the Zambia U-20 are affectionately called, are expected to give the Black Satellites a stern test in the upcoming friendly.
Monday’s training included a combination of tactical training, focusing on strategies and teamwork, and other exercises to fine-tune the team’s skills.
The Black Satellites will commence their campaign in the tournament on May 2, 2025, with a potentially tough Group C encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
