Sweden-bound Xiomala Mapepa arrives in Morocco for AWCON

The Copper Queens have been boosted by the arrival of winger Xiomala Mapepa ahead of next month’s Morocco 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The wing wizard arrived on Saturday to complete coach Bruce Mwape’s 23-member squad for the tournament.

Mapepa arrived in Marrakech shortly after 20:00hrs completing an over 24-hour journey had left for Morocco on Friday through Doha on Qatar Airlines.

Xiomara, remained behind when the team left last week to allow her to apply for a Schengen Visa that will enable her to travel to Sweden for trials soon after the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mapepa was the top goalscorer in the 2022/2022 Women’s Super League having scored 17 goals from the 15 league games she played.

Mapepa scored the goal that took Zambia to the 2022 African Women Cup of Nations away in Namibia when the Copper Queens came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with the Brave Gladiators.

Mapepa is expected to be in action on Tuesday when the Copper Queens take on the Crested Cranes of Uganda in their final preparatory match.

The Copper Queens will start their campaign against Cameroon at the Mohammed V stadium on July 3 before facing North Africans Tunisia three days later.

They will wrap up their Group B engagement with a tie against debutants Togo on 9 July.

The top four finishers in Morocco will qualify directly for the World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2023, while two additional teams will progress to the intercontinental play-offs.