Zambia Women national team midfielder Irene ‘Xavi’ Lungu has expressed happiness with her return to the Copper Queens set up after missing out on the trip to Chile.
Lungu, who captained Zambia at the 2014 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica was part of the squad at the COSAFA Women tournament but was later dropped together with Margaret Belemu, Prisca Chilufya, and Hazel Nali for the trip to Chile.
Lungu is confident that the Copper Queens can represent the country well when the games take place in July.
“I was left out and I used to train hard so that I can find myself here and thank God am back and will pull up my socks. I want to play outside the country that’s my target,” he said.
“I think the preparations are going well, we are almost there, we looking forward to having some friends so that we can gauge our fitness.”
I think about the draws, there is no easy group we just have to be ready and on behalf of my team I think we will do it
“I think the experience that I have playing at big tournaments, am ready to prove myself. The team is very strong,” he added.
The Copper Queens have been drawn in a tricky Group F for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Bruce Mwape’s lasses will face Brazil, Netherlands, and China who will set an Asian record with their sixth participation at the biggest sports festival that kicks off in July.
The Copper Queens are currently in camp preparing for the tournament. They started their preparations in November last year when they beat Chile 2-1 before going on to lose 3-1 to South Africa earlier this month.
The Olympics will officially run between 24 July and 9 August 2021, but sporting action kicks off two days before the opening ceremony with preliminary women’s football matches set to light up the occasion for various sports disciplines.
