By MICHAEL MIYOBA
COPPER Queens coach Bruce Mwape has declared the national team game for the two international friendly matches against Morocco.
The Copper Queens will face Morocco in the first friendly game slated for Pere Jego Stadium in Casablanca before playing in front of an Atlas Lionesses crowd at Moulay Hassan Stadium on Tuesday in Rabat.
Mwape said the two friendly matches are critical as they will help the team to prepare for the 2023 COSAFA scheduled for next month in South Africa, the Olympic qualifiers and the Africa Cup qualifiers.
Mwape said the training conducted in Morocco has helped the team to shape up for the two friendly matches being played on a FIFA window.
“The training has helped us to recover because we had a long journey from Lusaka. We have everyone in short we have a full squad and the one who came last was Hellen Chanda and the other pros arrived the same day we arrived in Morocco and we are set for the two friendly matches,” Mwape said.
“The two friendlies are being played on a FIFA calendar and it is important that we get good results because it will help us move on the world rankings and if we do well we will be able to move from where we are,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Copper Queens gaffer has hinted that no professional player will be selected for next month’s COSAFA championship.
“For the COSAFA, we will pick a team consisting of local players. Foreign-based players will not be there so it is up to the local players to prove that they can get a place in the senior national team which will play the qualifiers for the Africa Cup and the Olympics,” Mwape said.
