Ochumba Oseke Lubanji – Maturing into a Copper Queens dependable player

The Women’s national team made history in March 2020 when they qualified for their maiden Olympic tournament after finishing first in the Africa Olympics qualifying tournament.

At the tournament, Skipper Barbra Banda made history as she become the first-ever female player to score a goal for Zambia, scored the first hat-trick by a Zambian and African female football player, and was the first-ever player to score back to back hat-tricks.

Despite coming out of the tournament in the group stage, Banda and Zambia stole the hearts of many across the World.

The Copper Queens were back in action on Thursday and another player scored a hat-trick as she led the team to a 5-0 thrashing of Eswatini.

Born July 2001, Ochumba Oseke Lubanje is a 20 year old forward playing her club football at Red Arrows Women’s football club. The Lanky forward stands at 1.73 meters.

The lanky forward started her career at the now-defunct Kanyama Lions girls before it was dissolved. After that, she moved to Luyando Foundation Girls who later loaned her to Chibolya Girls (now Nkwazi Queens).

After which she moved to Red Arrows Women’s football where she currently plays alongside the skipper of the team at the tournament, Grace Chanda.

“Ochumba started her career with a team that was formed in Kanyama Lions, There was no direction and the owner stopped the girls’ team. We (Luyando) got her and started grooming her then loaned her to Chibolya Girls together with Maiwase Square, Martha Ng’uni, and Mary Mambwe. The coach requested because they were coming up so well for us we were just grooming,” recollects Luyando Foundation Girls founder and coach Bernard Mwape Chisenga.

Initially, Ochumba was known for her dribbling and ability to beat players but she is now maturing into a lethal finisher. Sometimes frustrating to watch as she enjoyed having fun with the ball more than direct football that gets you results, understandable, she was just a kid trying to enjoy her game.

The lanky forward now wants to get more goals to her name which benefits the team and is a bonus to her overall game.

CHANGE OF POSITION

At the delayed Tokyo Olympics, Ochumba Oseke Lubanji played on the wings and as a wide midfielder which she seemed to struggle with.

In the absence of Spain-based striker Hellen Mubanga and skipper Barbra Banda, Dauchu is deployed as a center-forward and seems to be working out for the U-20 Women’s national team graduate.

She was ruthless against Eswatini and netted three very good goals. Her first goal showed her prowess in the air as she rose highest to head home Margaret Belemu’s cross.

Her second goal was more about calmness and composure on the ball as she poked home inside the area, a poacher’s goal.

Ochumba then showed her awareness, and athleticism as she redirected Elizabeth Mupeso’s header with some panache.

She did not score against Namibia but the hunger for goals could be seen in her as she is aiming to take home the golden boot award.

“I would like to thank my friends and family, my coaches. I would like to thank my teammates without them I would have not gotten this match ball. I feel so happy to have this,” she said after the Eswatini win.

“The coaches have always emphasized the first game as being very important.”

Coach Bernard Mwape Chisenga is convinced the lanky young forward has everything it takes to reach the top.

“She is a very good player that will reach very far. You can easily see her development. She has been so passionate about her career and has everything it takes to reach the very top,” Chisenga told the ZamFoot Crew.

With Barbra Banda making her mark in China, Kundananji doing the same in Kazakhstan before her switch to Spain, Rachel Nachula in Spain maybe Ochumba will be the next player to join the foreign-based legion of Copper Queens but only time will tell.