Ever since the Copper Queens made history by qualifying to their maiden Olympics tournament, the Women’s game seems to be on an upward trajectory.
2022 has been the best year yet with two gold medals, a silver and a bronze with World Cup qualification as the epitome of a brilliant 365 days.
The year started slowly with the second and final round of AWCON qualifiers in February. The Copper Queens dated the Brave Gladiators of Namibia.
After a goalless draw in Zambia, the Copper Queens and Nambia drew 1-1 away thanks to a Xiomala Mapepa goal to qualify on away goals.
AWCON MASTERCLASS
Just before the games started Zambia were handed a big blow as their star forward Barbra Banda was ruled out by medical reasons.
Bruce Mwape’s lasses however regrouped and were determined to make history by qualifying to the World Cup.
They held giants Cameroon to a goalless draw before edging Tunisia 1-0 thanks to a late Avell Chitundu strike. The Queens then thrashed Togo 4-1 thanks to a brace from Grace Chanda and a goal each from Mapepa and Ireen ‘Xavi’ Lungu, the female Computer.
In the quarter finals, Zambia faced Senegal after going down in the 61st minute, Avell Chitundu again came to the rescue with an equalizer sending the match to penalties.
Hazel Natasha Nali proved to be the hero as she saved a penalty and went on to score the winning spot kick to send Zambia to the semis and book a place at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In the semifinals, South Africa came calling and it was the neighbors who came out victorious with a late controversial penalty.
The Copper Queens returned to winning ways in the third and fourth play off as they beat Nigeria 1-0 thanks to an Evarine Susan Katongo strike to clinch bronze for the very first time.
GREEN BUFFALOES WOMEN’S FC COSAFA TRIUMPH
August was time for COSAFA Women’s Champions League Zonal Qualifiers in South Africa, Zambia’s representatives, Green Buffaloes Women’s Football Club.
With a number of players from the Copper Queens squad who booked a place at the World Cup in Morocco less than a month earlier, Buffaloes were eager to win the title.
The Zambia army sponsored outfit beat Young Buffaloes 4-0 thanks to a brace from Ireen Lungu and a goal each from Hellen Chanda and Anita Mulenga.
They followed that up with another 4-0 win over Olympique de Moroni, Lungu this time with a hat-trick and Natasha Nanyangwe with a goal.
The final came around, Mamelodi Sundowns, the continental Champions were the opponents.
After a goalless draw in regulation time, Penalties were required and it was Buffaloes who emerged winners 6-5 with skipper Joana Benaya scoring the winning penalty.
After doing well in qualifiers,Buffaloes however fell short in Morocco winning only a game and losing the other two but managed to pocket approximately K2.3 Million for finishing third in their group.
FIRST COSAFA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
After coming close in 2019, The Copper Queens finally managed to lay their hands on the COSAFA Women’s Championship title.
Coach Bruce Mwape was given a big boost ahead of the tournament as skipper Barbra Banda returned to the fold after missing AWCON.
A routine 2-0 win over Namibia was followed by a 7-0 bashing of Lesotho while Eswatini only succumbed to a modest 2-0 loss as the Barbra Banda led the team to the knockout stages with eight goals in three games.
The Queens edged Tanzania 2-1 in the semifinals and South Africa 1-0 in the final with Banda winning the Player of the Tournament prize for her 10 goals, which also saw her claim the Golden Boot.
The Golden Glove for best goalkeeper went to Zambia stopper Catherine Musonda.
U-17 ONLY MANAGE SILVER
After winning the title in 2021 the Copper Princesses were expected to defend the title.
Coach Naomi Phiri’s lasses were the favorites alongside South Africa to win the title in Malawi.
A 5-0 win over Botswana and a 10-0 smashing of Comoros gave the Princesses a pathway to the semis.
In the semifinals, After a 2-2 draw, Zambia edged Malawi 3-1 on post match penalties before losing 4-3 to South Africa in the final.
Blessings Zangose Zulu netted in all four games while Lubasi Pumulo and Harriet Matipa scored a hat-trick each as Zambia settled for silver.
In Spain, Rachel Kundananji has been making headlines with her goal scoring exploits in the Spanish Primera Feminina.
Margaret Belemu has now moved abroad, joining Misozi Zulu at Hakkarigucu Spor in Turkey.
Hellen Chanda, Martha Tembo and Ireen Lungu have also penned deals with Kazakhstan Champions BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent while Xiomara Mapepa is a subject of interest from Turkish giants Beskitas.
It has been quite a rollercoaster of a year for Zambian Women’s Football and one hopes 2023 will be an even better year with the World Cup set for July.
The Girls & the women alike did us proud and surely made a mark on the continent.
COSAFA knows that Zambia’s got talent. OUR girls now Know that they need to looK beyond SOUTHEN AFRICA to make a mark in women’s football.
We have a huge pool of talent that needs naturing & motivation if we are going to see meaningful progress in Women’s football.
So far so good for the Players, their families, managers, Clubs, Coaches & whoever is the encouraging voice for these ladies.
YOU ladies were a GIFT to Zambian football @ all levels.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I wish you well in the future assignments. We have more importantly the Womens World Cup…
The Mamelodi Sundowns juggernaut continued to roll smoothly towards another PSL title after a 2-0 victory over Swallows at Loftus on Tuesday.
https://www.sabcsport.com/football/news/sundowns-continue-grand-march-to-psl-title-with-victory-over-swallows