THE Copper Princesses have secured a vital 2-1 win over Benin in the first leg of the final round of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers this afternoon at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
With fans in vibrant national colours, the young stars responded with an outstanding performance, showcasing their skills.
Their pressure paid off midway through the first half when Mercy Chipasula broke the deadlock with a well-worked team goal that sent the home crowd into celebration in the 15 minute of the game.
The Princesses could have added more to the scoreline before the break, but missed opportunities kept the visitors in the contest.
Benin came out stronger in the second half and Yenido Gandonou capitalised on a defensive lapse in the 58th minute to grab an important away goal, momentarily quieting the Ndola faithfuls.
However, Zambia responded almost immediately with a second goal from Chipasula to restore their lead and ultimately seal the win.
Speaking after the match, Copper Princesses head coach Carol Kanyemba expressed both relief and reflection on the performance.
“The game wasn’t easy, even though we made it a bit difficult for ourselves,” she said.
“But I think this game has opened the girls’ eyes. Their attitude will be different when we go for the return leg.”
On the other hand, Benin head coach Azonsou Idah remained optimistic, despite the defeat, and is already looking ahead to the second leg on home soil.
“Zambia is a strong team, but we believe we can reverse the result in the second leg,” he said.
With a 2-1 advantage heading into the return fixture in Lomé, the Copper Princesses know the job is far from over as eyes are still set on qualifying to the World Cup in Morocco.
By George Musonda
Kalemba April 19, 2025
