Zambia Women’s National Team captain Barbra Banda says the team played well in the second half especially that they were a player down.
Banda believes the team still has a chance of qualifying to the second round despite the 3-0 loss at the hands of the United States of America in their opening match of the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Orlando Pride forward was also quick to heap praise on the USA as a very good team. She says the team will go back to the drawing board and look at their mistakes ahead of Sunday’s match.
“We are looking forward to another game, we still have a chance and we are still focused. We had a good second half, we coordinated well and we were talking so from the first half, we were playing 10 v 11 (after the red card) which was not easy for us but at least in the second half, we managed to contain USA,” Banda said.
“It’s not the result we wanted but it is a game and USA is a very good team and we conceded goals in a (space of) few minutes which was bad but we just have to go back to our drawing board and look at the mistakes that we made.”
Banda has since called on fans to rally behind the team that is determined to make amends during battle on Sunday.
“We have pressure because we have lost and Australia is also working on winning so it is a battle, the team that wants it the most is that team that is going to carry the day. Fans should believe in us and keep on supporting us because we will definitely do well,” Banda said.
Zambia plays 2023 FIFA World Cup semi finalists Australia on Sunday at the Stade de Nice before winding down their Group B business on July 31 in St Etienne against Germany.
A brace by Mallory Swanson and a Trinity Rodman goal gave the USA maximum points in a match that the Copper Queens played one hour with a player less following Pauline Zulu’s red card inside 30 minutes.
The top two teams after matchday three will progress to the quarterfinals and will be joined by two best third-place teams to the tournament’s knockout stage.
