South Africa and Namibia have become the latest nations to confirm their participation at the COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championships to be held in Lesotho from December 3-14. The duo submitted their decision to participate on Friday, the deadline for countries to confirm they will take part in the prestigious junior tournament, one of the leading age-group events on the African continent. The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) have also tentatively expressed their desire to compete, though that decision must still be ratified by the FAM executive. It leaves just Comoros Islands and Mauritius as the only countries from the COSAFA region who have yet to confirm their participation. Should the two island nations decide against competing, East Africa side Kenya have requested they be allowed to send a team and will as such complete the field. Earlier, hosts Lesotho, Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe all submitted their entries. The draw for the first round group stages at the competition has also been confirmed for Maseru on Friday, October 11. Zambia are the current holders of the COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championships having triumphed in the previous event staged in Botswana in 2011. This year’s tournament will be played across two venues – Maseru and Mafeteng – with a round-robin group stage featuring four pools. The top team in each group will advance to the semi-finals, after which the tournament switches to a knockout format. Players born on or after January 1, 1994, are eligible to compete in what will be a fantastic celebration of the region’s young talent. The COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championship has been played in various guises since 1983, with Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa the dominant forces in the region. A number of the region’s top stars have cut their teeth at the COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championships, which has served as an excellent stepping-stone from junior football into the professional ranks. Admin Diskiking
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 06:51:20 +0000
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