The Zambia Women’s national team will be looking to seal their semifinal slot this afternoon when they square off with the Crested Cranes of Uganda in their final Group C encounter at the ongoing COSAFA Women’s Championship.
The Copper Queens thrashed Eswatini 5-0 before beating Namibia 3-0 to maintain the top spot and just a point away from qualifying for the semifinal.
Coach Florence Chalesa Nkatya Mwila is expected to maintain the same side that beat Namibia on Saturday.
ZESCO Ndola Girls goalminder Ng’ambo Petronella Musole is expected to start between the sticks with Lushomo Mweemba, Agness Musesa, Mary Mulenga and Margaret Belemu make up the back four.
Red Arrows Women’s football club midfield duo of Milika Limwaya and Mary Wilombe are likely to start and partner in the middle of the park.
Esther Namukwasa and Avell Chitundu are expected to play on the wings with Penelope Mulubwa and Thandi Nkhata are expected to offer options.
Skipper for the tournament Grace Chanda will take up the number ten role just behind Ochumba Oseke Lubanji who will lead the attack.
Coach Florence Chalesa Mwila is expecting a tough test against Uganda but believes her team is up to the task.
“It will be a tough game because both teams want a win to qualify to the next stage but we won’t relent, We know why we here and so we have boosted the girls with the morale to say we really need to get this one and they are really ready,” she said.
” It’s going be a huge test, They will try and frustrate as and if the worst goes to worst it should be a draw.
“Talking of Margaret Belemu she has been an exceptional player in this tournament, It shows you how much she wants to win it, and progress in her career. Our defense is solid because we have mentored them in a way that they are supposed to come down. After all, once they start panicking they make mistakes and in making mistakes we might even concede a goal,” she added.
A draw will be enough for the Copper Queens to qualify to the semi-final while Uganda will be eliminated at the expense of Malawi who will go through as the second-best team based on goal difference with Zimbabwe.
Zambia will need to lose by 7 goals to nil to be eliminated from the tournament, this means that even a defeat of fewer than 6 Goals will still see the Copper Queens storming the semi-final ahead of Malawi and Zimbabwe as a second-best placed team because of goal difference.
Hosts South Africa and Guests Tanzania are already confirmed semi-finalists. Possible semi-finalists to join South Africa and Tanzania are; Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, or Zimbabwe.
Angola, Mozambique, Botswana, South Sudan, Eswatini, and Namibia are already out of the Tournament.
