By Angela Bambala Bwalya
Zambia Under-17 forward Elizabeth Mofya has urged fans to continue believing in the Copper Princesses despite their two defeats at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026, insisting that anything remains possible as they prepare for a decisive Group D encounter against France.
Zambia suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Venezuela on Wednesday, conceding a stoppage-time winner despite twice taking the lead through Precious Mwewa and Grace Phiri.
Mofya admitted that a loss of concentration in the closing stages proved costly, while acknowledging that Zambia had opportunities to take control of the contest.
“What I can say is that the name of the game is lose, draw and win. We planned well in the first half and missed some chances, but we equalised when we came back for the second half. We scored, but in the last ten minutes we lost concentration,” she said.
The forward acknowledged that Zambia must improve ahead of their meeting with France, with both sides facing an important test in their bid to progress to the next stage.
“The game will not be easy. France also want to win, and we want to go to the next stage. What I can say is that we will work hard because that game will determine whether we go through to another stage,” she added.
Despite the disappointment of consecutive defeats, Mofya remains hopeful that the Copper Princesses can produce a positive result in their final group match and has appealed to supporters to maintain their faith in the team.
“We have lost two games, but anything can happen in the game we play against France. Keep supporting us and don’t lose faith,” she said.
Zambia will face France on Saturday, October 24, at 18:00 hours in their final Group D fixture, knowing that they need a strong performance to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
For the Copper Princesses, the encounter presents an opportunity to respond to their setbacks and finish the group stage on a positive note.
