The Zambia Women’s national team will kick start their 2022 Morocco Total Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign this afternoon with a tricky away clash against the scorchers.
The Copper Queens have been to three tournaments, 1995, 2014, and 2018 and will be looking for a 4th appearance at the biggest football showpiece for Women on the continent.
At the last tournament, Zambia finished third in the group with four points failing to qualify to the next round. South Africa and Nigeria finished first and second respectively going all the way to the final to face each other.
Two years later the Queens reorganized and made history by qualifying to the Olympics and now they will be looking to get back to the AWCON and do better this time around.
History says a team in Africa that qualifies to the Olympics, qualifies to the Next World Cup tournament and that step will have to start with qualification to Morocco.
Coach Bruce Mwape is expected to name a strong squad despite missing Skipper Barbra Banda and several foreign based players.
Hazel Nali, Musole Ng’ambo Petronella, and Catherine Musonda are all available for selection and the trio will battle for a starting berth between the sticks.
Red Arrows right back with flamboyant hair, Margaret Belemu I’d expected to start at right-back with Martha Tembo back at left-back to take up the place which she has made her own.
The central defensive pairing of Lushomo Mweemba and Agness Musesa is expected to start from where they left off at the Olympics and COSAFA Women’s Championship as they will team again this afternoon.
Milika Limwanya is expected to start in the middle of the field as the defensive midfielder but coach Bruce Mwape has Elizabeth Mupeso for options.
Mary Wilombe is also expected to start in midfield. U-20 skipper Evarine Susan Katongo could make her first Copper Queens start as Mwape looks to add some flavor to the team.
Green Buffaloes youngster Lubasi Pumulo is also available for selection in the attacking midfield role.
Upfront, Ochumba Oseke Lubanji is expected to lead the attack alongside Grace Chanda and Rachel Kundananji.
Maylan Mulenga, Siomala Mapepa, and Lungowe Namasiku are available to offer Mwape and his technical bench options.
The Copper Queens will be away at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe this afternoon in a 15:00hours kick-off before hosting the Scorchers in the return leg on 26 October at Nkoloma stadium.
