By MICHAEL MIYOBA
MINISTER of Sports Youth and Arts Elvis Nkandu has urged the Copper Queens to aim to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations when they qualify for the 2024 edition which will be held in Morocco.
The Bruce Mwape tutored Copper Queens will host Angola tomorrow at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola in the second leg of the finals WAFCON qualifying round.
The Copper Queens are one step to qualifying for the prestigious continental championship in Morocco after humiliating Angola 6-0 in the first leg played in Luanda a six days ago.
Nkandu congratulated the girls for their impressive showing in Luanda where captain Barbra Banda scored a hat trick while Lushomo Mweemba, Ireen Lungu and Kundananji contributed a goal apiece.
The Sports Minister tipped the girls to think of winning the WAFCON title after winning bronze at the 2022 Championship which was also hosted in Morocco.
“The target should be to win the WAFCON when we qualify because last time we would have gone to the finals and we could have even won the WAFCON so I think we are going to build up from where we ended and go a step further even by getting the WAFCON and I think as a country we will be very proud,” Nkandu said.
“Let us encourage our girls to make sure that they do the needful when they go to the WAFCON 2024 so that we can grab that cup. It will be very important. We have won Cosafa, and we are now looking forward to winning the AFRICA Cup,” He said.
Meanwhile, Nkandu reaffirmed governments commitment to give the Chipolopolo boys the needed support to inspire them to perform well at next years Africa Cup of Nations set to kick off next month in Ivory Coast.
“Everyone wants the Africa Cup of Nations to come to Zambia but we definitely believe in our boys and I believe government will do everything possible to motivate the boys so that they can go and play well when they go to compete at the Africa. All of us needs to play our roles and as government we will do our part to support the team,” Nkandu said.
The sports minister also noted that government plans to finish renovations at Heroes Stadium by June 2024.
Nkandu said the turf at Heroes Stadium will be removed to renovate OYDC pitch which is also in need of a facelift.
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