By Angela Bambala Bwalya
Zambia Under-17 midfielder Taonga Mubanga says the Copper Princesses are determined to respond to their opening defeat to Japan when they face Venezuela at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Zambia suffered a 5-0 loss to Japan in their opening Group D fixture and will be eager to get their campaign back on track against Venezuela, who also lost their first match.
Mubanga acknowledged that the encounter would present a difficult challenge but insisted the team had worked on the mistakes that contributed to their disappointing start.
“We are very much ready and prepared for Venezuela’s game. It won’t be an easy game, but we have worked on the mistakes we made in our previous game,” Mubanga said.
The midfielder stressed that securing maximum points would be crucial to Zambia’s hopes of reaching the round of 16, describing the fixture as a must-win encounter.
“It is a must-win game for us. It is very important because it will show us if we qualify for the round of 16,” she added.
Mubanga also sent a message of encouragement to Zambian supporters, promising that the team would give everything to secure a positive result while thanking fans for their continued backing.
“To our fans, we won’t disappoint you. We will definitely win the game. We really appreciate your support, and we will deliver against Venezuela.”
The Copper Princesses will be looking to make amends against Venezuela before concluding their Group D campaign against former champions France.
Venezuela suffered a 2-0 loss to France in the opening game. With both Zambia and Venezuela seeking their first points of the tournament, the meeting could prove decisive in shaping their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.
Zambia and Venezuela face off at 20h00 CAT while table toppers Japan take on France at 17h00 CAT in an early kickoff.
Top two teams in the group will automatically qualify to the round of 16 with four more places available for third best placed teams. The games are being streamed live on the FIFA+ platform.
FAZ U17 FIFA WOMEN WORLD CUP DIARY: Copper Princesses Face Venezuela in Must Win Encounter
The Zambia U-17 Women National Team return to the battlefront today (Wednesday) in their second Group D encounter against Venezuela at the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026.
Both teams go into this game searching for their first win at the tournament after losing their opening matches.
A win will revive Zambia’s chase for a round of 16 place which remains the first target at the tournament for coach Carol Kanyemba and her technical bench.
With the team fully settled in Rabat and getting a taste of tournament experience, they will be looking to step up and bag maximum points.
Zambia last met Venezuela at the 2014 U-17 FIFA World Cup in Costa Rica where the South Americans emerged 4-0 winners.
After 12 years the two teams meet under new circumstances with different generations of players.
Venezuela suffered a 2-0 loss to France in the opening game while Zambia lost 5-0 to Japan.
Zambia and Venezuela face off at 20h00 CAT while table toppers Japan take on France at 17h00 CAT in an early kickoff.
Top two teams in the group will automatically qualify to the round of 16 with four more places available for third best placed teams.
The games are being streamed live on the FIFA+ platform.
