Copper Queens preparations for Netherlands friendly match taking shape

The Zambia Women’s national team has intensified preparations for next week’s big international friendly match against the Netherlands. 

Coach Bruce Mwape and his Assistants have been busy taking the Copper Queens through their paces in double sessions ahead of the highly anticipated match. 

The last time the two teams met was last year at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics with the Orange Lionesses emerging as victors, 10-3. The only positive for Bruce Mwape’s team from that game was the hat-trick scored by skipper Barbra Banda.

Mwape who is excited at the chance of facing the Netherlands again after that Olympic horror, says the preparations are going on well. 

Mwape says they now know a little more about the Orange Lionesses on what their strengths and weaknesses are ahead of the October 6th showdown. 

“Preparations are going on well, All the players we called are in camp except foreign based players. We are using both for this game,” he said.

“It’s a big game , and these are games we are very interested in. They have a lot of experience, they have been to the World Cup several times. When you meet teams like Netherlands it’s a good thing because you learn one or two things. We played them at the Olympics so we now know their strengths and weaknesses. It’s good we will meet for the second time, it won’t be easy despite being a friendly game. We also want to gauge our players.”

Rachel Kundananji who is making a return to the Copper Queens set up after missing the WAFCON and the COSAFA scored a brace over the weekend as she helped Madrid CFF to a 3-1 win over FC Levante Las Planas and Mwape believes the foreign based players joining camp will be a big boost for the younger players who hope to follow their footsteps.

“They are playing well, and we are happy. Those players joining the camp will be an encouragement for most of our  juniors who want to emulate what these players have achieved,” he said.

“We are very interested in the draws so that we also make a proper program for our friendly  games ahead of the World Cup.”

The Copper Queens came out third at the WAFCON to win bronze in the process booking a place at the World Cup before going on to win the COSAFA Women’s Championship for the first time two months later. 

For Green Buffaloes players, there was a small matter of the COSAFA Women’s Champions League Zonal Qualifiers between those two tournaments, truly a busy year for the players and Ireen Lungu, the female Computer has been at the centre of both teams.

After the friendly games, Lungu and her Buffaloes teammates are back to club duty preparing for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League set to kick off on 30th October in Morocco. 

Lungu who was top goalscorer at the Champions League Zonal Qualifiers believes the team needs to continue working hard as they face Netherlands in a game she feels will help the players gauge themselves in readiness for the global showpiece. 

“This year has been a busy year for us as the Copper Queens. We came from WAFCON, then went to the COSAFA tournament in South Africa and we are now preparing for the World Cup with this upcoming friendly match against the Netherlands. We just have to work hard because it’s part of our preparations. What I can say is that we will keep on working hard,” she said. 

“Netherlands is a big team, these are games we want. They have very good players. Meeting them will help us gauge our fitness, and our experience so that when the World Cup comes we will be ready by then.”

“I think the Netherlands game will help us a lot because they have a lot of great players and we will get a good test as Buffaloes players heading to Morocco.”

Defender Esther Siamfuko was thrown in the deep end as she made her Copper Queens debut in the match against the Netherlands at the Olympics.

The 18 year old is eager to once again face the Orange Lionesses as she believes the team has gained more experience and have a morale boost after their WAFCON performance.  

“It will be another good encounter to play the Netherlands, It will be another interesting match. The game we played against the Netherlands at the Olympics we gained a lot of experience, learned alot and it also gave us a hint of what’s happening around us,” she said.

“Looking at that game and our performance at the WAFCON it gave us a boost, we have good experience now so we are looking forward to that game.”

Meanwhile Midfielder Evarine Susan Katongo watched the match against the Netherlands from the bench but she has since forced her way into Mwape’s squad and will be expected to start against the Netherlands. 

The 19 year old feels the teams togetherness and good communication is what has been helping them win games and perform as well as they have been doing. 

“The preparations are going on well, everyone is ready, because we really wanted this game, we wanted to face a team with the experience and this game will help us gauge our preparations for the World Cup,” she said. 

“Everyone in camp is taking this game seriously, even during training, everyone is putting in a lot of effort.”

“I think what has been pushing us is the communication in the team, the encouragement and cooperation as a team. Even when there is a mistake we help each other and because of that we are able to face bigger teams who we were scared of in the past,” she added. 

Katongo who fondly referred to as Ngolo Kante by the fans has urged them to continue supporting the team so that they can also continue to deliver good results. 

“To the fans, they should continue supporting us like they have been doing. Hopefully they will continue and we will continue improving everyday and continue to deliver good results,” she said. 

The Copper Queens will know their opponents for their maiden World Cup appearance next month. 

The Draw for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau will take place on Saturday 22nd October 2022.