The long-awaited Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament will kick off this weekend and the Zambia camp seems to be in high morale ahead of their first match.
Copper Queens striker Xiomara Mapepa who recently joined the team is confident that the team will beat Cameroon come 3rd July.
Despite this being Mapepa’s first time going to the prestigious tournament she understands her role as a striker.
“As a striker, I need to score goals, and that’s all I want to do in this tournament,” she said.
The queens have one last friendly to play before the tournament and Xiomara believes that the friendly game against Uganda is what will determine how the team will perform against the Lionesses.
“We have to work hard and put in more effort as we play Uganda because it’s a game that will help us to know how we will play Cameroon.”
The Bruce Mwape-coached side has set its eyes on the trophy and is determined to bring it home.
“We just have to carry the trophy, because that is what we are here for, and that is the biggest thing we want as a team,” Mapepa said.
“We will deliver, the coach made the final list, and its good that we are all working hard.”
The Copper Queens will square off with the Crested Cranes of Uganda this evening in their final friendly match before the tournament officially kicks off.
The Copper Queens are in Group B at this year’s 12th edition of the WAFCON alongside Cameroon which they will face on 3rd July 2022 before playing against Tunisia three days later and they will wrap up their group assignment with a tie against debutants Togo on 9th July 2022.
The semi-finalists from this tournament will automatically earn their tickets to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand while the two quarter-finalists will have to battle it out in the inter-continental play-offs for a spot in the world’s biggest showpiece.
