Olympics: Elated Katongo urges fans to rally behind Copper Queens
By Moses Mwanza | July 8, 2021
Zambia Women’s Under-20 graduate Evarine Suzeni Katongo who is part of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic bound final squad has called on everyone to rally behind the Copper Queens in their maiden qualification at the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympics which will run from 21st July – 7th August 2021 in Japan.
Speaking in an interview with the ZamFoot Crew, Katongo who plays for FAZ Women’s Super League Lusaka based side Zambian Institute for Sustainable Development (ZISD) Women Football Club on loan from Luyando Foundation Girls said the morale is high in the camp and everyone is ready for the games and they are going to Japan to compete and not just to participate.
“Everyone in the team is ready, the morale has always been so high and I am personally excited to have been picked amongst the players in the final squad,” an excited Katongo told the ZamFoot Crew in an exclusive interview.
The Copper Queens are in Group F alongside China, Brazil, and the Netherlands, however, Katongo is unfazed about the kind of opposition they will face and she said they are going to the tournament to compete.
“I know a lot of people are expecting so much from us, and we just want to urge them to continue supporting us and we are definitely going to do our level best at the Olympics so that we reach their expectations because we not going there to participate but to compete and we are going to do our very best,” she said.
Katongo who is one of the best midfielders in the country and now an inspiration to others especially those who don’t believe in themselves went on to encourage her fellow young players who as she preached about discipline, focus, and determination in their careers.
“It’s not everyone who can be called for national duties, but it’s the efforts that one puts that can make it possible for them to be called,” Katongo said.
“To my fellow young footballers, they should just keep on Pushing, Working Extra Hard, Focusing, and have Determination on what they want to achieve in their career. Most importantly they should be Disciplined because football is a game that requires one to be disciplined, without it you can’t go anywhere,” she concluded.
The Coach Bruce Mwape’s drilled lasses will start their Olympic journey with a date against the Netherlands on 21st July 2021 at 13:00hrs before taking on China PR 3 days later in an early kick-off at 10:00hrs with both matches slated for Miyagi Stadium.
The African Queens will then wrap up their group match against the much-fancied Brazil on 27th July 2021 at Saitama Stadium with a lunchtime kick-off at 13:30hrs.