By MICHAEL MIYOBA
ZAMBIA national women’s team players have set their eyes on beating Ghana to increase their chances of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Zambia will this Friday face Ghana in the third round first leg before hosting the Black Queens in the second leg of the Olympic qualifiers on February 28 in Ndola.
Copper Queens midfielder Ireen Lungu said the team was determined to make a back-to-back qualification for the Olympic Games.
Speaking in an interview before the Copper Queens departure for Accra, Lungu said the Copper Queens were ready to face the Ghanaians.
“It is very important for us to return to the Olympics because we played the Olympics before and our aim is to go to the Olympics again. Ghana has experienced players, they are old but our team has small players in terms of physique, others it’s their first time but all in all we are going to work together to carry the day in Ghana,” Lungu said.
“The first leg in Ghana is very important because if we get the three points then we are good, so our aim is to win our first game in Ghana. Pressure is there. The pressure we have is to get the maximum three points in Ghana that’s the pressure we have,” she said.
Defender Thabo Miselo, who made the final squad in her debut call up for the Copper Queens said she was looking forward to contribute and help the team qualify for the Olympic Games.
“I’m very much ready to play in Ghana and I believe everything is possible so even as we come back from Ghana, we will definitely work hard and get maximum points because we will have the home ground advantage,” Miselo said.
“We have been training well and doing great together we are trying to bond together as a team. We are really looking forward for a positive result. We are hoping for the best and we are ready to fight and get the maximum points. A victory will be a good result in Ghana,” she said.
Coach Bruce Mwape yesterday unveiled his final 23-member squad for the first leg qualifier against Ghana.
Mwape retained more than half of his squad from the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifying campaign and added six players who have not been part of the setup in a long while.
They include returning former captain Kabange Mupopo, Green Eagles goalkeeper Loveness Tonge, defenders Natasha Kapombo, Martha Banda, Tabo Miselo and Zesco Ndola Girls midfielder Marjory Mulenga.
The team led by captain Barbra Banda will today set base in Accra where the Israel-based duo of Catherine Musonda and Rachel Nachula as well as Turkey-domiciled Hellen Chanda and Misozi Zulu will link up with the team.
The game against the Black Queens will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium and the return leg will follow five days later at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
