After months of hard work in camp with a group of over 30 players coach Bruce Mwape, yesterday named his final 22 member squad to travel to Japan for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Copper Queens Captain Barbra Banda who flanked coach Mwape at the unveiling of the squad congratulated all the players that have made the final cut and wished them the best of luck.
Barbra was quick to admit that competition is stiff in the team and believes all the players who have made the final squad deserve to be in the team.
“From the time that we reported for camp the preparations have been going so well and the morale in camp has been high,” she said.
“For the technical bench to come up, with the team, is not an easy task, we had a lot of competition, and I think the best team was called to participate.”
“The coach has trusted each one of us, that is on the list to do our best, I just want to congratulate everyone who has made it on the final list,” she added.
Team coordination is very essential for a team’s success and for the time that the team has spent in Camp, Banda is optimistic about the outcome.
“We have been in camp for quite some time now, we all know who is who, and each other’s style of play,” The China-based forward told the ZamFoot Crew.
Banda who plays in the Chinese Taiping CFA Women’s League says she is not under pressure playing against China.
“I am not under pressure, going into the Olympics, I just have to go and work hard, l might know the players’ style of play but football changes, so I just have to go and work hard and stay focused,” Banda said.
Banda was also quick to urge the fans to believe in the team, as they are ready to deliver good results.
“We have been in camp for so long, the preparations went well, and the team is determined, so keep on supporting us and wishing us the best,” she said.
The Copper Queens are in Group F alongside China, Brazil, and the Netherlands at the Tokyo Olympics.
