Grace Chanda somersaults in jubilation after Zambia secured a historical Olympic qualification at Lusaka’s Nkoloma Stadium yesterday.
...as Zambia secure Tokyo Olympic Games qualification
THOUSANDS of soccer fans danced in disbelief as the Zambia national women’s team made history by qualifying to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
The Copper Queens edged a top-rated Cameroon 2-1 in the Olympic qualifiers second leg fixture at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka to realise their dream of playing at the Olympics.
First half goals from midfielder Mary Mwakapila and striker Hellen Mubanga handed the Zambian team its maiden Olympic qualification.
Despite having recorded a 4-4 aggregate stalemate the Copper Queens progressed based on the away-goal rule which gave them the advantage having scored two goals in the 3-2 defeat in Cameroon last Friday.
Mwakapila put the dominant Copper Queens ahead 15 minutes after kick off beating the Cameroonian goal keeper with a beautiful long range shot from outside the 18-yard box.
Mubanga doubled Zambia's advantage in the last minute of the first half, tapping in Barbra Banda's assist to give Zambia a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Nchout Ajara scored the consolation goal for Cameroon in the second half but it wasn't enough to help the Indomitable Lionesses to qualify for the Olympics despite Zambia having being reduced to 10 players after left back Martha Tembo received a red card in the dying minutes of the game.
The qualification cheered Coach Bruce Mwape and his players who went round the stadium to applaud the fans who had filled the stadium to capacity to cheer them on.
Speaking in a post-match interview, Mwape hailed the girls for fighting hard to beat the best team in Africa to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Mwape also hailed the fans for giving the girls hope from the first whistle to secure qualification for the Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games are set to kick off on July 24t to August 9.
FAZ president Andrew Kamanga congratulated the Copper Queens for making history. He said the victory over Cameroon who are ranked first in Africa is a clear indication of how women's football continues to develop in Zambia.
Cameroon will now meet Chile in a play-off for a place at the Olympics.