Green Buffaloes Women Football Club coach Charles Haalubono has named a 20-member squad for the 2022 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Champions League that kicks off in South Africa this Sunday.
Haalubono has included six Copper Queens players who recently minted Bronze in Morocco comprising of defenders Lushomo Mweemba, Agness Musesa, Martha Tembo, and Anita Mulenga as well as mesmerizing midfielder Ireen Lungu and attacker Natasha Nanyangwe who are expected to inspire the Zambia Army side.
Regina Kayamboma and Aisha Gama who are both on loan from Mufulira Wanderers and Chipata Girls respectively have also made it in the squad traveling to South Africa.
2020/21 Women’s National League second top goalscorer Theresa Chewe will lead the striking force alongside 2021 Region V top goalscorer who happens to be the legendary Collins Mbesuma’s niece, Lucy Kajiya.
Captain Joana Benai will be expected to pull the strings in midfield with her experience alongside Hellen ‘Soldier’ Chanda, Judith ‘Zeide’ Zulu, and the Engineer Loveness Malunga.
Copper Princesses skipper Lubasi Pumulo surprisingly misses out on the trip to Durban.
Green Buffaloes are placed in Group B alongside Young Green Buffaloes of Eswatini and Olympique De Moroni of Comoros Island who is both making their debut entry in the Hollywoodbets Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers tournament which is also Zonal Qualifier to the CAF TotalEnergies Women’s Champions League to be held in Morocco later this year.
Buffaloes will start their campaign on 6th August 2022 against Young Buffaloes in a 15:30hours Kick-off at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban.
Meanwhile, in an early Kick-off match set for 12:00hours at the same venue, defending Champions Mamelodi Sundowns will tackle Costo Do Sol of Mozambique while Double Action of Botswana will be on a bye from this 3-team Group A.
Only the top team in each pool advances to the final, while the second-placed sides will contest the third-fourth play-off.
FULL SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS:
Blessing Kazila, Aisha Gama, Aisha Mbwana
DEFENDERS:
Martha Tembo, Lushomo Mweemba, Agness Musesa, Anita Mulenga, Patricia Lampi, Diana Banda, Memory Nthala
MIDFIELDERS:
Ireen Lungu, Hellen Chanda, Judith Zulu, Regina Kayamboma, Joana Benai, Loveness Malunga
STRIKERS:
Maylan Mulenga, Lucy Kajiya, Theresa Chewe, Natasha Nanyangwe
