Zambia U17 Women’s National Team coach Carol Kanyemba Daka says her side wants to emulate their elder sisters the Copper Queens by beating Morocco to qualify to the World Cup.
The Copper Queens beat the Atlas Lionesses in their final 2024 Paris Olympics qualifier to book their ticket.
Daka said the team has prepared adequately for the encounter including working on mistakes made in previous games.
“Preparations have been going on well. After playing Uganda we only rested for a few days before entering camp again.we have been consolidating and working on the team, so far so good,” Daka told the ZamFoot Crew.
“We played at Heroes Stadium the last game and Thank God that we won our first game at Heroes Stadium, it’s our prayer that we repeat that and score more goals than we did.”
“It’s a very big challenge, Morocco will not be easy, they want revenge but we have psyched the girls knowing what is at stake. We are going to put in everything to emulate what the senior team did for them to qualify for the Olympics. They had to challenge Morocco, we have the same mountain to climb and am sure we are going to climb over Morocco and qualify for the World Cup,” she added.
Morocco set up a date against Zambia via an 8-0 aggregate victory over Algeria in the previous round.
But Daka believes each game is different and this one will be a different ball game for both sides.
“Every game is a different ball game, they faced other teams not Zambia and we faced other teams. Football is situational, what we are going to come across is what we are going to challenge. We have watched their games, In as much as they score goals they also have weaknesses. We will try to get as many goals as we can so that we can go and manage the game away to qualify for the World Cup,” she said.
“There are very minimal changes on the team. We are just working on coordination. It is easier to work on what we have unlike bringing a whole host of new players. “
“No serious injuries, just a few minor knocks. We have watched their games to try and study them, even the players have watched the games, on match day it will be on the players to apply what we have been working on,” Daka added.
Zambia have started all their ties at home and Daka believes it will work to their advantage as the players are used to this pattern.
“We have worked a lot in practice on finishing and we have psyched the players. As much as we have done that, it’s up to the players to make decisions when on the pitch. They need to utilise the chances because it may haunt us if they don’t,” she said.
“Starting the fixtures at home has worked to our advantage and it is what the girls know. It’s like a pattern we have gotten used to.”
The Copper Princesses will host Morocco at Heroes Stadium tomorrow at 15:00 hours with the second leg to be played on the 15th of June in Morocco.
Winner over two legs will qualify for the U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in the Dominican Republic.
All best but remember Morocco is too athletic. Have very fast wingers. Magic is too score them first. To goal keeper avoid fumbling with ball.