Copper Queens record first point at Olympics as Barbra Banda breaks more records

By Aaron Mubanga Jnr | July 24, 2021

Zambia Women’s national team skipper Barbra Banda made history as she netted a second consecutive hat-trick to become the first player to do so at a Women’s Olympic tournament.

Coach Bruce Mwape made three changes to the team lost to the Netherlands as Ochumba Oseke Lubanji, Rachel Kundananji, and Agness Musesa came in to replace Anita Mulenga, Margaret Belemu and Hellen Mubanga dropped to the bench.

The Copper Queens were aiming to get their first win of the tournament but yet again they started on a back foot as Shuang Wang put China in the lead just six minutes into the match, Goalkeeper Hazel Nali should have done better as she failed to deal with a poor ball that somehow found it’s way into the net.

Zambia responded nine minutes later, as Rachel Kundananji headed home her first of the tournament. China thought they were back in the lead as skipper Wang Shanshan scored a brilliant goal only for VAR to detect an offside in the build-up and cancel the goal.

Shuang however put her side in the lead in the 22nd minute with a fine finish after she was found unmarked inside the area. She completed her hat-trick two minutes aided by a wicked deflection, 3-1.

Coach Bruce Mwape decided to make a first-half change withdrawing Mary Wilombe to introduce, Martha Tembo.

Zambia was given a way back into the match minutes to halftime after Rachel Kundananji was brought down inside the area, Skipper Barbra Banda stepped up and made no mistake, 3-2 the match went to the break.

Barbra Banda grabbed her brace a minute into the second half with a brilliant finish a minute to draw the Copper Queens level.

China was awarded a penalty in the 50th minute but VAR overturned the decision as the match remained level at 3-3. Banda then put the African representatives in the lead in the 69th minute with another brilliant finish to complete her hat-trick, becoming only the first player to do so in the history of the Olympics.

Zambia looked like they were headed for a win only for VAR to be called into action finding her Lushomo Mweemba guilty of a handball inside the area, penalty to China, Wang stepped up and converted to draw China level.

87′ Direct redcard for Li Qingtong for a reckless foul on Barbra Banda

China 4-4 Zambia

(Shuang Wang 6′,22′,24′, 83’| Kundananji 15′, Banda 43′,47′)

— Zambia WNT (@Copper_Queens) July 24, 2021

4-4 the match finished as Zambia picked up their first point in an eight-goal thriller.

Banda’s tally has also equaled Christine Sinclair’s record six-goal tally in 2012 (highest goals scored by a single player at a single Women’s Olympic tournament in history)

OTHER RECORDS

👉 Banda is the first Zambian woman to score a goal, a hat trick, and is also the all-time top goal scorer for Zambia at the Olympics.

👉 First African female football player to score a hat-trick at the Olympics

👉 Africa’s top goalscorer at the Olympics.

👉 She is the fastest player to reach six goals in a Women’s Olympics tournament (2 games )

👉 She is now 9th on the all-time top goalscorers list at the Women’s Olympics tournament

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