MWILA JOINS QUEENS DUG-IN

…FAZ names Florence Mwila to Queens technical bench under coach Haalubono

By BENEDICT TEMBO

ZESCO Ndola Girls coach Florence Mwila has been drafted to the Copper Queens technical bench to help coach Charles Haalubono prepare Zambia adequately for next month’s 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers against Uganda.

Mwila ascends to the national team with ZESCO Girls Technical Adviser William Zulu as first and second assistants to Haalubono.

Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) general secretary Charles Chakatazya announced in Lusaka yesterday that the Copper Queens technical bench had been reinforced ahead of the back-to-back 2028 Olympic qualifiers against Uganda.

In a statement,  Chakatazya confirmed Mwila and Zulu have both joined the Haalubono-led technical bench as first and second assistant coaches, respectively, on an interim basis.

Chakatazya said the appointments were with immediate effect.

Mwila, who is head coach of Zambia Under-20 women’s team, was interim coach when Copper Queens won the 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship, becoming the first female coach to achieve such a feat.

She also served as assistant coach to the late Copper Queens coach Bruce Mwape.

“The FAZ Technical Committee has appointed coaches Florence Mwila and William Zulu on an interim basis to assist coach Charles Haalubono in preparing the Copper Queens for the two-legged Olympic qualifier against Uganda,” Chakatazya said.

The first leg of the 2028 Olympics qualifiers will be played on October 8, away in Kampala while the second leg is scheduled for October 13 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Chakatazya said FAZ would continue to support the technical bench as the Copper Queens seek to qualify for a third consecutive Olympic Games.

He also called on fans and all football stakeholders to rally behind the all-local technical bench.

Ends.