QUEENS COACH OPTIMISTIC
…COPPER QUEENS’ STALEMATE AGAINST CAMEROON EXCITES COACH BRUCE MWAPE
ZAMBIA National Women’s team coach, Bruce Mwape said a goalless draw against Cameroon in the first group B fixture played on Sunday night at the ongoing 2022 Morocco Women Africa Cup of Nations is not a bad result for the Copper Queens who were missing a number of key players.
The Copper Queens who were missing the services of Captain Barbra Banda, strikers Mapepa Siomala and Ochumba Oseke, fought hard to get a point in the game where Cameroon dominated play at the Mohammed V Stadium in Marrakech.
Mwape said he was not shocked that the Copper Queens put up a spirited fight to hold the highly ranked Indomitable Lionesses to a draw.
He said Zambia’s aim was to get maximum points which would have enhanced the team’s chances of going to the finals of the WAFCON.
“I’m happy with the result though we wanted to go away with maximum points. That was our aim but a draw is not bad.
“Other people thought our team is a weak but I said it was not going to be easy for Cameroon to beat us because it is not the first time we have met them. We managed to draw because we knew that we would meet a strong team,” Mwape said.
Mwape admitted that the team missed the services of Captain Barbra Banda who was ruled out due to medical reasons.
He however noted that he has enough ammunition in the Copper Queens squad.
Mwape is hopeful that the Copper Queens who will be boosted by the return of Mapepa and Ochumba will be able to pick a win in their second game scheduled for July 6 against North African giants Tunisia.
Meanwhile, left back Margret Belemu who was voted Woman Of The Match said the stalemate against the highly ranked Indomitable Lionesses gave the Copper Queens the confidence to keep fighting to achieve their objectives.
“This gives us confidence because we want to win the cup and qualify for the world cup. At senior level we have never qualified for the world cup so the draw has given us the confidence needed to keep fighting and do better in the next games,” Belemu said.
“We are going to work extra hard and I know we are going to win the remaining games so that we can top the group.
On winning the Woman Of The Match award, the former Red Arrows player who now plays in the Chinese league said; “I’m happy and I’m grateful to God first for granting me the opportunity to win an award in a crucial game against Cameroon. It wasn’t easy to be player of the match.”
The Copper Queens were fortunate as Cameroon dominated play in both halves and had a late goal deep in the second half ruled out for offside.
Gabrielle Onguene’s goal was disallowed six minutes after Zambia defender Lushomo Mweemba cleared a goal bound header to rescue a point for the Copper Queens who will face Tunisia on Wednesday before concluding their Group B games with a tie against Togo.