Following Zambia’s victory against Nigeria in a third place play-off of the 2022, TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Government believes the Copper Queens will be a force to reckon with at next year’s women’s World Cup.
The global showpiece is slated for Australia and New Zealand next year, between July and August.
Ministry of Youth and Sports Permanent Secretary, Kangwa Chileshe says Zambian soccer needed a revival of which the women’s team have sparked.
Chileshe congratulated the Copper Queens for winning bronze at WAFCON on Friday stating that their 1:0 victory against Nigeria was a great milestone.
“Zambia has been a sleeping giant on the continent and the copper queens have reinforced that.”
“We will be a force to reckon with, even at the world cup,” Chileshe said.
Chileshe reiterated Government’s commitment to supporting the team.
He said Government will invest in the preparations of the forthcoming World cup through amenities, friendlies and others resources to make the girls’ journey at the global event a success.
Chileshe however, advised the Copper Queens to shift their attention to the world cup preparations stating that there was no time to rest or relax.
‘Its a time for us to have programmes, it’s a time for us to be focused and know exactly what we need to do so [that] within that one year, we must be working,” he said.
Meanwhile the Copper Queens match against the Western African giants was not a walk in the park as they beat the Super Falcons by a goal.
Nigeria was a well formidable team that dominated with possession with their style of play but could not hit the target despite recording a number of chances.
However, the copper queen had no time to play around with the ball as they forged attacks every time they were in possession of the ball.
As the game intensified, the Super Falcons came charging from the air and some fog started spreading the pitch.
But Shepolopolo pointed the trigger, hitting the Western African birds with a single bullet to neutralize their power sending them straight to the ground with hopes of finding ‘pepe soup’ to resuscitate them.
The goal came from Evarine Katongo who struck outside the penalty area which deflected off the goal post to hit the Nigerian keeper and bounced into the back of the net.
With Zambia taking the lead, Nigeria started pouncing back and fought whole heatedly but the copper queen’s defense detail was covered like the Wakanda Shields.
Zambia maintained the lead till the final whistle and engraved their mark in the books of football history by getting their first WAFCON broze medal.
Moses Makwaya
