Copper Queens will do well at AWCOM – FAZ

By MICHAEL MIYOBA
THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is confident that the women’s national team will fly the country’s flag high at the 2022 TotalEnergies Africa Women’s Cup of Nations AWCON starting on July 2 in Morocco.
FAZ President Andrew Kamanga believes the Copper Queens would make the country proud following the measures implemented by the association to ensure that the team prepares adequately.
Kamanga urged fans to rally behind the Copper Queens who will face the Crested Cranes of Uganda in their final AWCON preparatory fixture.
“Our Copper Queens are almost battle ready in Morocco where they have been holed up for more than a week now preparing for the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON).
They have played two friendly matches against hosts Morocco and a local club Phoenix FC. They will play their final friendly match today against the Crested Cranes of Uganda, said Kamanga.
The Copper Queens are in Group B and will face Cameroon in their first game at the AWCON set for July 3.
After playing Cameroon at the Mohammed V stadium, the Copper Queens will play Tunisia three days later before concluding their group B fixtures with a game against debutants Togo on July 9.
Meanwhile, Kamanga said FAZ will do its best to provide opportunities for those who have signed up for coaching badges.
Commenting on the CAF C training course which has attracted 40 aspiring coaches who are former footballers, Kamanga said coach education is critical to football development in the country. “Coaching now is sophisticated and has incorporated other aspects like video analysis and technology such as GPS. We are providing opportunities in these modern coaching aspects. Our long-term goal is to see locals take up coaching jobs at national team level. However, we must first ensure that they are equipped with knowledge and exposure,” he said.
Kamanga said the addition of two local CAF instructors, Chris Chibuye and FAZ Technical Director Lyson Zulu will make it easier for the association to conduct more trainings meant to empower coaches.
“We have recently conducted courses in video analysis, goalkeeping coaching and scouting which adds to the sophistry of modern coaching. With our system decentralised, information about these courses can be obtained from provincial FAZ offices,” Kamanga said.