Zambia Women’s National team defender Margaret Belemu is confident this is the Copper Queens’ time to win the COSAFA Women’s Championship.
Belemu believes the Queens know that the expectations are high following their impressive showing at the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The speedy right back believes the experience from the Africa Cup of Nations will help the team at the COSAFA tournament.
“The preparations are going on okay, everyone is pushing in camp and the competition is high, the new players want to find their way into the first team, so the competition is very high,” she said.
“I think looking at how we performed in the AFCON, everyone is expecting a lot from us and am very much confident that we need to win the COSAFA Women’s Championship, we have never won it before, I believe this is our time to win it.”
“Looking at our team, It has not changed that much, Majority of the players, we played the AFCON, the experience will be great and we are using this tournament to prepare for the World Cup,” she added.
The 2019 runners up were drawn in Group B alongside Namibia, Eswatini and Lesotho a group, Belemu feels is tough and need to be taken seriously.
“The group is tough, we are not underrating any team. Looking at our game against Namibia last time, it was very tough and this time they will come with full force but I know how our team is, we will fight because this time we want to win the trophy,” she said.
The 10th edition of the regional showpiece will be hosted in South Africa from August 31st to September 11th.
The Copper Queens will begin their campaign against Namibia on 1 September at Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Gqeberha before the penultimate group match against Lesotho on 4 September before wrapping up their Group engagement against Eswatini two days later.
As long as there is no manipulation other teams apart from SASAFILIKA can win it.
Yes please!!!