The 2023 China Taiping CFA Women’s League will kick off tomorrow with six matches taking centre stage.
The return of the Chinese Women’s top flight means Copper Queens skipper Barbra Banda will be back in action with her Shanghai Shengli teammates.
Banda is expected to lead Shanghai’s charge for maximum points as they host Shaanxi Changan.
This will be new boss Asako Takakura’s first official game since her appointment back in December last year.
As a player, Takakura was part of the Japanese squad who played both FIFA Women’s World Cup (1991 and 1995) and Olympics (1996).
As a coach, Takakura guided Japan to the AFC Asian Cup title in 2018 in addition to having commanded Nadeshiko at the 2020 Olympic Games and the 2019 FIFA World Cup.
Under her tutelage the Copper Queens skipper will be looking to be at her brilliant best and finally win the elusive League title.
Banda emerged as the top goalscorer of the 2020 China Taiping CFA Women’s League in her first season.
The former Green Buffaloes and Bauleni United Sports Academy forward scored 18 goals to seal the golden boot.
Banda netted 12 goals in the first round of the season which saw her play 9 games and 6 goals in the second round where she played four games.
