Striker Fashion Sakala says he is excited to join his team-mates at the Spain camp as preparations intensify for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The Spartak Moscow striker arrived at the Zambia Under-20 team’s Tenerife training camp from his Russian base on Tuesday, almost a week before the tournament kicks off in South Korea on May 20.

“I would have loved to join the team three weeks or a month before the tournament, but I still feel good to join them,” Sakala said.

“But I feel in these few days, we will do something together that will help the team.”

The 2017 U-20 AfCON star, who scored three goals for Chipolopolo in March, is one of five foreign-based players in Beston Chambeshi’s 21-member team.

Striker Patson Daka of Austrian club Liefering in the only player yet to join the team at the Spain camp.

Zambia arrived in Spain on May 6 for a fortnight training camp en route to South Korea.

Chambeshi’s side will open their campaign on May 21 against two-time World champions Portugal in Jeju where Group C will be based.

Iran and Costa Rica are the other teams in Group C.