The Copper Queens will be without skipper Barbra Banda for the Morocco 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
According to a statement by FAZ Communications manager Sydney Mungala availed to the ZamFoot Crew, the China based forward has been knocked out on medical reasons.
Banda joins Ochumba Oseke Lubanji and Siomala Mapepa who will miss the opening match due to accumulation of yellow cards.
“The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released final squad lists for the Morocco 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations ahead of the tournament that kicks off tomorrow (Saturday).
FAZ wishes to provide a squad update for the Copper Queens that open their account on Sunday in a Group B match against the indomitable lionesses of Cameroon.
Zambia will be without Ochumba Oseke and Siomala Mapepa for the opening match due to suspension while skipper Barbra Banda will be unavailable for medical reasons.
Oseke and Mapepa will miss out due to accumulated cards during the qualification process.”
FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala says everything is okay with the team outside the three missing players.
“Outside the three players, everything else is fine with the team looking forward to the opening match against Cameroon on Sunday. We urge the public to fully support the team as it lifts our national flag high.”
The Copper Queens start their campaign against Cameroon at the Mohammed V stadium on July 3 before facing North Africans Tunisia three days later. They will wrap up their Group B engagement with a tie against debutants Togo on 9 July.
The semi-finalists from this tournament will automatically earn their tickets to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand while the two quarter-finalists will have to battle it out in the inter-continental play-offs for a spot in the world’s biggest showpiece.
FINAL SQUAD
(GOALKEEPERS)
Catherine Musonda (Indeni Roses), Hazel Nali (Fatih Vatan Sport-Turkey), Leticia Lungu (Zesco Girls)
(DEFENDERS)
Judith Soko, Lushomo Mweemba, Anita Mulenga, Agness Musase, Martha Tembo (All Green Buffaloes), Esther Siamfuko (Queens Academy), Margaret Belemu (Shanghai Shengli-China)
(MIDFIELDERS)
Mary Wilombe (Red Arrows), Misozi Zulu (Hakkarigucu Spur-Turkey), Evarine Katongo (ZISD), Ireen Lungu, Natasha Nanyangwe (both Green Buffaloes), Esther Banda, Maweta Chilenga (both BUSA), Avell Chitundu (Zesco Girls)
(STRIKERS)
Ochumba Oseke (Red Arrows), Grace Chanda (Biik Shyyehp-Kazakhstan), Siomala Mapepa (Lusaka Dynamos), Noria Sosala (Indeni)
[…] reasons according to a statement by FAZ Communications manager Sydney Mungala availed to the ZamFoot […]
The “medical reasons” appears suspicious. This girl Barbara played during the 0lymics which is more stringent on rules to participate. In this advanced Era it’s not enough to only say medical reasons.Its like a circus. We are back with the Samenya syndrome again.This is not good for Sport
This girl is playing in China with no problems. WHAT IS WRONG WITH AFRICANS KANSHI?
She could have a communicable disease, pliz don’t rule out that! Which brings us back to FAZ. Did they do a thorough medical check up on all the girls? Possibly this could spell end of her professional career.
this is toataly nonses wen a female dedicates all her pride giving up her body to what she love in short working hard when others are busy lazing around sleeping shes up working hard coz she knows sport is a competitive game were u need to work hard to be better than others …all caf has to is because she has too much power y are others not working hard so that they could be better like her this is unreasonable excuse..lets hope they are not against zambia no wonder we africans have limited minds towards our fellow african whose developing instead of as an african giving support coz of hard work….work on those uncessary rule we enjoy seeing women who play and have a mentality of a man when on the pitch….
This the one you call your self caf why they drop our key player Barbra banda
CAF has washed it’s hands off this issue. So who ruled out our star ?
This is ridiculous because she sacrificed her life for football then you want to end up destroying it we just want our skipper BB11 back in the pitch if not so football will become useless to the upcoming BB therefore let’s fight against corruption in oder to promote peace,joy and love…..We want BB11 back in the game
She is our pride .we need our captain. Car should not weaken our team. The President distant him self from the report. But who then,don’t want Zambian team to perform well?