Bruce Mwape cautions Copper Queens

…as Zambia date Angola in today’s WAFCON qualifier  

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

ZAMBIA national womens team coach Bruce Mwape has cautioned the Copper Queens not to underrate Angola as the two sides face off in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) second round, first leg qualifier.

The Copper Queens face Angola today at the Estádio Joaquim Dinis in Luanda as they seek to qualify for a third consecutive WAFCON after competing at the 2018 and 2022 championships.

Mwape said underrating Angola because of having beaten them 3-1 at the Cosafa Championship in South Africa would be a mistake for the Copper Queens who need to avoid any setbacks to achieve their objective to compete at the 2024 WAFCON slated for Morocco.

“We have played Angola on several occasions and each time we managed to beat them but that shouldn’t make our players to relax, we don’t want that kind of attitude. We want to play them as if we are playing them for the first time so there shouldn’t be any complacency. We will do better if players will be serious with what they will be told to do,” Mwape said.

“If they get to relax, things change we might be on the receiving end and that is what we don’t want. We will try hard to avoid that,” he said.

Mwape said getting a win in the first leg will give the Copper Queens the advantage going into the second leg which will be played on December 5 at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Meanwhile, Copper Queens captain Barbra Banda says the team has set its sight on winning the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.

The China-based skipper however says the immediate task is to secure qualification to the biggest continental women’s football extravaganza by beating Angola home and away in the final qualifying round.

The Copper Queens striker who has also made the 10-member shortlist for the 2023 CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award said she was elated to be among the top contenders for the prestigious award.

Meanwhile, Copper Queens goalkeeper Catherine Musonda has predicted a tough match against Angola. 

The Copper Queens goal keeper who has taken over the number one spot from injured Hazel Nali said she will use her experience gained after competing at the World Cup to help the Copper Queens to achieve their targets.