The Copper Queens suffered their third defeat under coach Nora Elizabeth Häuptle as they succumbed to a 2-0 loss at the hands of Banyana Banyana of South Africa.
The Copper Queens came into the match looking to bounce back from the 1-1 draw against Botswana on Saturday.
Coach Nora Häuptle made one change to the team that drew with the Mares with Kabange Mupopo replacing Prisca Chilufya in attack.
The defending COSAFA Cup Champions held their own in the first half creating a few chances but nothing came to fruition with the match going to the break level at 0-0.
In the second stanza, Coach Nora Häuptle made a change with Mercy Chipasula replacing Kabange Mupopo.
Lushomo Mweemba suffered an injury a few minutes later and was replaced by Pauline Zulu. With the match still goalless at the 70th minute mark, Häuptle decided to rest skipper Barbra Banda and Evarine Susan Katongo for Prisca Chilufya and Mary Wilombe.
Banyana took the lead in the 74th minute as Bongeka Gamede beat Catherine Musonda with a beautifully taken long range free kick from a distance.
Jermaine Seoposenwe doubled the lead eight minutes later after a defensive error involving Mapalo Maluba and Pauline Zulu, slotting home from close range.
Zambia looked to be pushing for a goal in the late stages but failed to find the net as Banyana held on to win the match 2-0.
Coach Nora Häuptle in her post match interview said Zambia commanded the first half while her key players did not come to the party on the day.
Meanwhile, striker Rachel Kundananji believes the loss is an eye opener before the WAFCON and will give the girls a chance to work on their mistakes. Kundananji feels it’s better that they have lost the match as a win would have made them complacent ahead of the continental showpiece.
FIFA International Friendly
FULL -TIME
South Africa 2-0 Zambia
(Bongeka Gamede 74’, Jermaine Seoposenwe 82’)
Hopefully the message will be head to the Zambian football bodies
views about coach Norah and the players
The team is lacking confidence of play and this is killing our football
the reason is Simple our girls get used to Old style but that is not the case our team is still with good players and upcoming one like fridah mukoma and mercy chipasula which is the way to go,all we need to do now is to support the current coach she is trying to see who can fit in the squad if you observe carefully she has to put all players who are speed, like Banda,mapepa,nachula,kundanaji, grace,mupopo and so many More the chemistry is to balance in transition, though our players misunderstood her but all this players she picked for the back to back squad are fast, however since the girls failed to win the game it’s doesn’t mean they can’t win more games ahead, now my pleading is that please let girl know that they can still come back in coming games tell the coach to impart hunger in girls ,
watch the games closely and see how we can go about it let’s work hand in hand with reporters. currently we at the point of danger if we continue with chipantepante will keep on losing and if we penetrate through as a nation we will be playing well at the world stage
Ba Faz president hope this message find you,
well!😊
Kindly emphasize on clubs specifically Zambian clubs to work hard and produce quality players and let the players also train more, all should have higher morel,motivate them we shall go very far ! other Wise kudos to the coach, observe what is trying to do and support her ,you shall see how Zambian football Will prosper!!!
Good display in the first half, and in the 2nd half something changed. This loss is a temprol dent in coach Norah’s reign but i keen football eye can see what’s cooking.
Hopefully the ladies get set for the business in Morocco. Time to fine tune and suprise the doubting Thomas’s relatives.
What is Nora’s ” football philosophy”,when with Ghana she wanted very much to coach Zambia,it was more to do with her CV.We might be headed for disaster.
This girl’s need to go and play some competitive tough teams abroad in short they should without any due delay be camped abroad for a full month before Afcon rather than exposing them to the same teams we might meet at some point at the preliminary rounds at Afcon