Zambia under 17 national team coach Ian Bakala has revealed that some members of the triumphant Zambia U-17 squad at the Region 5 games have been dropped from the squad for the AFCON. Zambia Under-17 head coach Ian Bakala has revealed that about eight players who were triumphant in the Region 5 Championship have been dropped ahead of the 2023 Algeria Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations. The U-17 AFCON will be held in Algeria from 29 April – 19 May 2023 and the junior Chipolopolo are in Group B alongside South Africa, Nigeria, and Morocco. Bakala is yet to name his final squad for the tournament and is currently drilling 26 players in camp. They revealed that of the 26 players in camp, eight have not made his final squad. He made the revelation after the All Stars versus the Rest match played last Tuesday at Nkoloma Stadium. Bakala told the press that new players have since been added to the team in camp. He explained that the decision will offer more options to the technical bench and bring diversity to the squad. “The guys are looking good. We have got 26 players, of which two will have to remain,” Bakala said. “Some were shaky but I think there is an improvement this time. In Malawi, we didn’t have many options but this time, I think it will be 50-50 in each position. The players had to adjust to what we went.” “It was good for us (The All Stars vs The Rest Match) because we saw options in those players, of which we selected several players to compete with the other guys.” “From the team which went to Malawi, we dropped eight (players). The players who were on the rest looked better than those we were within Malawi, it was good for us to balance up the team,” he stated.