What a display of skill in the women’s game. What a comeback from Australia. They were 5-2 down at one point but fought back to take all three points. A nod to Banda and Kundananji who had amazing games.
The Zambia Women’s National Team gave away a 5-2 lead to lose 6-5 in their penultimate group match at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics.
Zambia started off on a bright note as skipper Barbra Banda put them in the lead just 40 seconds into the match with a fantastic strike from outside the box.
The lead did not last long however as Alanna Kennedy headed in the equaliser in the seventh minute to level matters, 1-1.
The World’s most expensive female football player, Rachel Kundananji, then went on a solo run before unleashing a beautiful left footed low shot to beat Mackenzie Arnold in the Australian goal, 2-1.
Barbra Banda grabbed her brace three minutes after the half hour mark when she reacted quickly after Australia failed to deal with a corner as she fired home a powerful low shot to make it 3-1.
Australia reduced the deficit two minutes later, Harley Raso heading in a Kyra Cooney-cross corner after Ng’ambo Petronella Musole mischarged the flight of the ball.
Banda however restored the two goal cushion at the stroke of halftime as she blocked a clearance and with some luck the ball found it selfish in the net completing her hat-trick to become the first female football player to score three hat-tricks in Olympic Football history.
Zambia went to the break with a healthy 4-2 lead.
In the second stanza, Banda setup Rachel Kundananji with a well taken free kick who headed home to grab a brace and extend the lead to 5-2.
COPPER QUEENS CRUMBLE
The Bruce Mwape coached side now crumbled and ended up losing a match which they had led 5-2.
After a powerful long strike hit the crossbar and Caitlin Foord tried a back hill, in a hurry to clear Lushomo Mweemba’s clearance hit into Musole and into the net, 5-3.
Caitlin Foord nearly made it 5-4 but a foul on Musole made the goal to be cancelled after a VAR review.
Steph Cartley scored the Matildas 4th in the 65th minute from a free kick after a blunder from Musole who failed to handle the fairly tame shot as it went through her hands, 5-4.
The Matildas were then handed a further lifeline after a VAR review resulted in a penalty, Esther Muchinga stepped on Foord in the area and Cartley stepped up making no mistake, 5-5.
Substitute Michelle Heyman then scored the winner in the dying minutes to give the Matildas a well worked 6-5 win.
The Copper Queens will next face Germany on Wednesday at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard in Saint Étienne.
2024 Paris Olympics
Full-Time
Zambia 5-6 Australia
(Barbra Banda 1′,33′,45′, Rachel Kundananji 21′, 56’| Alanna Kennedy 7′, Harley Raso 35′, Lushomo Mweemba OG 58′, Steph Cartley 65′, 78′, Michelle Heyman 90′)
Jeezes Christ… all you had to was three things
1. Not panic
2.park the bus,park the bulldozer and last but not least the IFA truck…
3. All the above.
Meanwhile the one with the keys to the IFA truck, Copper Queens Euro Bus, and bulldozer is busy accusing the drivers of being COMPLESANT….
BRUCE MWAPE must go, his over reliance on individual player’s brilliance is killing the squad morale & progress.
The girls deserve a better coach & tactician…
GROUP C
🇺🇸 3 v 0 🇿🇲
🇦🇺 0 v 3 🇩🇪
🇿🇲 5 v 6 🇦🇺
🇩🇪 1 v 4 🇺🇸
After two (02) games played:
🇺🇸 6 points 7 goals 1 conceded +6 goal difference
🇦🇺 3 points 6 goals 8 conceded -2 goal difference
🇩🇪 3 points 4 goals 4 conceded 0 goal difference
🇿🇲 0 points 5 goals 9 conceded -4 goal difference
Final group games bola na lesa 😇predictions:
🇺🇸 3 v 0 🇦🇺
🇩🇪 1 v 3 🇿🇲
Group standing by midnight Wednesday.
🇺🇸 9 points 💫🤝🏽
🇿🇲 3 points 😇
🇩🇪 3 points 😰
🇦🇺 3 points 😨