FAZ Technical Director Lyson Zulu says the Football Association of Zambia is gutted by the cancellation of the 2021 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Zulu, who is the team’s Delegation Leader in Rabat, broke the news to players and officials on Tuesday morning informing the delegation that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had officially put an end to the continental showpiece four days before the opening fixture between hosts Morocco and Uganda.

“It is devastating to say the least; this (the Under-17 Africa Cup) is a dream that we have sold to the boys for the last two years since we identified them at Under-15 level,” said Zulu.

“It is very unfortunate that the tournament cannot go on but at the end of the day I feel human lives matter and we feel for all the teams that are in quarantine that have produced positive cases due to Covid-19.”

Zulu added that it was a wild moment for the Association which had put in place everything to prepare the team including securing three friendlies against FUS Rabat U17, Cameroon and Nigeria.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t play against FUS Rabat and Cameroon and Nigeria could not get into the country because of Covid-19," said Zulu. 

"These boys had great potential in the region and they have something to show the world and this is the potential that the world will get to see one day,” he added.

And Coach George Chilufya summed up the mood of most members of his technical bench, but said the process of developing the players will continue in order for them to be kept in focus.

“It’s not good for African football. The boys and the technical bench and all the Associations have invested in this. But again, we are living in a world that is full of surprises and this coronavirus has turned things upside down,” said Chilufya.

“We have no control over nature; the only thing we can talk about is the football aspect and the disturbance that is there. We are hopeful that from the few words that we have spoken to them (the players), they will remain positive.”

Zambia was due to play hosts Morocco, Ivory Coast and Uganda in Group A at the Moulay Hassan stadium in Rabat.

Group B had Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria and Congo while Group C was composed of Cameroon, Senegal, Mali and South Africa.