Copper Queens, Morocco lock horns
By Cecilia Nayame
THE Copper Queens this evening begin their chase for the 2024 Morocco TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title when they face hosts Morocco in the opening match of the tournament in Rabat.
The match will be played at the Olympic Stadium at 22:00 hours Zambian time.
Zambia and Morocco will this evening renew their rivalry after seven meetings in the Olympics and World Cup qualifiers.
The evening’s match is expected to be tough with North Africans having won five matches and drawn one with only a win for the Copper Queens in their seven meetings.
Zambia and Morocco reached the semifinals of the 2022 edition where the Copper Queens lost to South 1-0 while the Lionesses beat Nigeria for a place in the finals.
At the last edition, the Copper Queens were under the tutelage of coach Bruce Mwape who guided the team to a podium finish after winning bronze.
Coach Nora Häuptle has a lot of work and must ensure she beats Mwape’s records by reaching at least the finals of the tournament as all eyes will be on her.
While on the other side Morocco coach Jorge Vilda is also looking forward to an impressive start against the Copper Queens.
Häuptle and Vilda previously met at the 2018 UEFA Women’s U-19 Championship where Vilda’s team Spain beat Häuptle’s Switzerland side 2-0 in Zug.
Zambia and Morocco are placed in Group A which also has Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the next matches set for July 9 and July 12, 2025 at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia.
Häuptle has declared the team ready for the match against Morocco.
She said the team has done its home work and what remained was to produce results.
“All players are ready for the game. I know it will not be an easy match but we have done our home work and looking forward to the match against Morocco,” she said.
Captain Barbara Banda said the team would do everything possible to carry maximum points against the North Africans.
Häuptle is expected to start with Catherine Musonda in the goal while Martha Tembo, Lushomo Mweemba and Margret Belemu are expected to seal the backline while Irene Lungu, Xiomara Mapepa, Pauline Zulu and Grace Chanda are expected to partner in midfield.
Strikers Racheal Kundanaji, Kabange Mupopo and Banda are the most dependable players to give the team the much expected goals.
