Home » Can Zambia ‘The Copper Queens’ go all the way in their first Women’s World Cup?

Can Zambia ‘The Copper Queens’ go all the way in their first Women’s World Cup?

Football, WWC 2023 / By / / The Copper Queens, Zambia
The Copper Queens are raring to go for their first Women's World Cup.

The Copper Queens are raring to go for their first Women’s World Cup. Photo credit: Zambia WNT via Twitter.

Zambia have qualified for a FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history. They’ve been on a hot streak since qualifying for the 2020 Olympics, and look better and better all the time. Head coach Bruce Mwape has named a youthful squad who will be eager to launch themselves onto the world stage. The Copper Queens are on the up, and could cause a big upset in a group featuring two of the top teams in the world.

World Ranking: 77

Team Nickname: Copper Queens

 

Road to the World Cup

Zambia’s road to the World Cup began with qualification for the 2020 Olympics. While they lost every game at the Olympics, this qualification lit the spark that led to qualification for the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia. The Copper Queens qualified for the World Cup when they beat Senegal on penalties in the quarter finals of the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations. Zambia entered the Cup of Nations as the 13th best African team, and beat three teams ranked higher than them on the way to claiming third place. After losing to South Africa in the semi final, they upset the top African team, Nigeria, in the third place playoff. Zambia have continued this form through to their recent matches.

 

Recent Form

Following the Cup of Nations bronze, the Copper Queens went on to taste glory at the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup. After an outstanding group stage, which included a 7-0 win over Lesotho, Zambia beat Tanzania to reach the COSAFA cup final. They then went on to topple South Africa to win the tournament for the second time in three years.

In the 11 games since then, Zambia have a record of 4 wins, 1 draw, and 6 losses. The wins included a 4-0 result over 49th ranked Uzbekistan. While they suffered two heavy losses to South Korea, Zambia more than held their own in the 3-2 loss to the top-25 ranked Republic of Ireland. Their attacking fire power was once again on show in the 3-3 draw with Switzerland at the start of July, and in their 3-2 win against Germany on July 8th.

Squad

Coach Bruce Mwape has named a youthful squad for the World Cup. Zambia’s average age of the final 23 is just over 24 years old. The squad features two teenagers and just one player over thirty years old. Just over half of the squad play in Zambia, with the rest plying their trade in Spain, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and China.

Headlining the Copper Queens’ squad are their two Liga F stars, Grace Chanda and Rachael Kundananji who both play for Madrid CFF. Fellow forward, Barbra Banda captains Zambia and has been in prolific goal scoring form. Banda was the first women’s footballer to score back-to-back hat tricks at the Olympic Games.

The 14-strong contingent of players from the Zambia Super League should help with squad cohesion and chemistry on the pitch. Xiomara Mapepa finished topscorer with 28 goals, closely followed by Ochumba Oseke Lubanji on 26. There is no doubting the goal scoring ability throughout the Copper Queens, and the other teams in Group C should be wary of them.

 

The Players

Goalkeepers: Catherine Musonda – Tomiris-Turan, Kazakhstan. Eunice Sakala – Nkwazi Queens, Zambia. Hazel Nali – Fatih Vatan Sport, Turkey.

Defenders: Margaret Belemu – Shanghai Shengli, China. Martha Tembo – BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent, Kazakhstan. Lushomo Mweemba – Green Buffaloes, Zambia. Agness Musesa – Green Buffaloes, Zambia. Esther Banda – BUSA, Zambia. Judith Soko – YASA Queens, Zambia. Mary Mulenga – Red Arrows, Zambia. Vast Phiri – ZESCO Ndola Girls, Zambia.

Midfielders: Ireen Lungu – BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent, Kazakhstan. Hellen Chanda – BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent, Kazakhstan. Evarine Susan Katongo – ZISD Women, Zambia. Mary Wilombe – Red Arrows, Zambia. Susan Banda – Red Arrows, Zambia. Avell Chitundu – ZESCO Ndola Girls, Zambia.

Forwards: Xiomara Mapepa – Elite Ladies, Zambia. Ochumba Oseke Lubanji – Red Arrows, Zambia. Hellen Mubanga – Zaragoza CFF, Spain. Grace Chanda – Madrid CFF, Spain. Rachael Kundananji – Madrid CFF, Spain. Barbra Banda – Shanghai Shengli, China.

 

Players to Watch

Zambia have a number of players to watch at this World Cup, particularly across the forward line. Most notably, Rachael Kundunanji finished as the second top scorer in Liga F with 25 goals. Kundunanji finished ahead of players like Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala and Real Madrid’s Caroline Weir.

Inspirational captain, Barbra Banda has an incredible eye for goal. Banda scored 5 goals in Zambia’s 7-0 win over Lesotho in last year’s COSAFA Cup. She also scored the winning goal in extra time over South Africa to claim the trophy for the Copper Queens. 

Group Preview

Zambia have been drawn in a very tough group with Spain, Japan, and Costa Rica. Zambia play their first ever World Cup match against Japan in Hamilton on the 22nd of July. On paper the 11th ranked Japanese team appears an unlikely game for Zambia to target for a result. However, Japan are not in their best form, having lost six of their last ten games. If Zambia’s front-line can fire, they could cause Japan some real problems.

Things don’t get any easier for Zambia though, with their second game being against Spain in Auckland on July 26. Spain are widely considered one of the best teams in the world, and it would be a tough ask for Zambia to avoid a loss here.

Their final game comes against Costa Rica on the 31st of July, back in Hamilton. Costa Rica are the closest in rank to the Copper Queens, and Zambia will certainly be looking to get a result in this match.

Zambia are dark horses to cause an upset and make it out of this group, likely at the expense of either Spain or Japan. The Copper Queens are likely to be incredibly entertaining to watch and could become fan favourites. They are not going to be easy opponents, and the rest of the group shouldn’t underestimate them.

 

Written by Damon Lillis.

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