Tembo made a name for himself at the 2022 COSAFA tournament last week after keeping three clean-sheets and saving two penalties in the final to seal Zambia’s qualification for the 2023 U-20 AFCON and a 12th Cosafa cup title.

His performance earned him promotion to the under-23 National team who have traveled to Liberia for the qualifiers of the 2023 Morocco U-23 AFCON against Sierra Leone this Saturday.

Tembo who is happy with his promotion says the match against young Leone stars will be a tough encounter as both teams will be looking to qualify for the AFCON finals.

He believes that facing a team from West Africa is never easy, but the team is they can win.

He said: “We are going there for at least a result because we are also determined to win so it is going to be a tough game but we will do our best to get a win.”

The Red Arrows goalkeeper is excited about his inclusion to the team and remains optimistic that the team can win this Saturday’s match especially since it will be played in a neutral venue in neighboring Liberia as Sierra Leone has no CAF certified stadium to host international matches.

“It is another great opportunity for me to represent the country with the U23 after winning the Cosafa tournament with the U20 team. I know everyone’s expectations are high they expect me to perform better like I did in the previous tournament.

“They are also actually away, they will not be playing on the home group but an alternative ground which is a plus for us so it’s going to be a 50/50 thing, ” He concluded.

Coach Oswald Mutapa who will be without foreign-based players as the games are being played outside the FIFA international window, will bank on the local squad players who majority play in the Zambian Super League.

Zambia will host the junior Leone stars on October 29 at Heroes Stadium in the return fixture in Lusaka for the return fixture.

The top three teams at the tournament AFCON finals will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.