Zambia thrashed Zimbabwe 5-1 in their opening Group B match of 2016 Cosafa U-20 Championships played at the Moruleng Stadium on Wednesday.

The Chipolopolo side led after just 40 minutes when Patson Daka capitalised on slack defending to roll in.

Edward Chilufya smashed in the second after he leaped highest to head home from Solomon Sakala delivery to make it 2-0 by half time.

Zimbabwe offered little sign of making a comeback, falling further behind when Sakulanda drilled in a precise 15-yard strike ten minutes later.

Fashion Sakala skipped around a static defence to slot with a goal that seemed to have burried the the Zims.

And when it seemed it was over Zambia relaxed and allowed themselves to absorb some pressure at their back yard allowing a penalty that made Zimbabwe pull one back through Bukhosi Sibanda.

In the dying minutes, Zambia added the fifth when second-half subsitute Moses Nyondo combining well with Keneth Kalunga to seal the 5-1 victory for the ten-time regional champions.

Line-ups:

Zambia XI: Banda, Nyondo, Chiluya, S Sakala, Sakulanda, F Sakala, Mwepu, Mayembe, Chilufya, Musonda, Daka.

Zimbabwe XI: Nelson, Mawere, Ncube, Last, Muyambo, Bl Sibanda, Bu Sibanda, Ncube, Dube, Nasama, Phiri.