The rise of Women’s football in the last few years
The Copper Queens sealed their qualification to the 2022 Morocco Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday after edging Namibia on away goals following a 1-1 draw .
Despite the Men’s National Team failing to qualify to the Africa Cup of Nations since 2015 the Women’s National Team has continued to improve from strength to strength. The ZamFoot Crew now looks at the strides that Women’s Football in Zambia is making from the Copper Princesses to the Copper Queens and everything in between.
FAZ Women’s National representative Col Priscilla Katoba since coming into power has emphasized on putting the girl child first and developing the sport to the highest possible heights.
Time line
2022 – Copper Queens qualify to AWCON
After eliminating neighbours, Malawi in the first round, The Copper Queens needed to get past Namibia to seal a slot in Morocco.
Coach Bruce Mwape went into the two matches with a depleted squad as he was without skipper Barbra Banda, Rachel Nachula, Rachel Kundananji, Helen Mubanga and Irene Lungu.
Against all odds the Queens managed to qualify in away goals rule thanks to some good work from youngsters Siomala Mapepa, Esther Siamfuko and Evarine Susan Katongo who played a big role in the qualification.
Zambia will be among the 12 teams in Morocco that will be battling for the continent’s biggest showpiece.
Top four teams at the AWCON will qualify to the World Cup that will be held in Australia and New Zealand next year.
Two more teams will be involved in play-offs with teams from other continents. The tournament will run from July 3-23 in Morocco.
2021 – Copper Princesses win women Cosafa Under-17
The Zambia U-17 Women’s national team clinched gold at the 2020 Maseru Region V Games played a year later in December, 2021.
The Copper Princesses’ recorded an emphatic 4-0 win over Botswana in the final to win Zambia’s first COSAFA U-17 Women’s Championship title after coming out third in 2019 and second in 2020.
Skipper Lubasi Pumulo emerged as the star player of both the team and the tournament.
She was named as the player of the tournament with goalkeeper Chitete Musanka walking away with the golden gloves accolade for a second year in a row while Lucy Kajiya got the top goalscorer award thanks to her three goals in the tournament.
– Copper Queens, Africa sole representative at Tokyo Olympics
The Copper Queens made history in March 2020 by qualifying for their maiden Olympics appearance after a vigorous qualification process that saw them eliminate, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and Cameroon on their way to Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Thanks to the Coronavirus the tournament was delayed for a year and took place in 2021.
Making their debut at the global sporting showpiece, the African side got decimated by the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup runners-up 10-3 in their opening match.
However, Skipper Barbra Banda netted a treble to became not only the first African to hit a treble in an Olympic game but also the first from African with three goals in a single tournament at the global sporting showpiece.
Next up was China a game that ended 4-4 and again Barbra Banda stole the show again as she netted another hat-trick becoming the first player — male or female — to score consecutive hat tricks at the tournament.
After losing to Brazil in the final game, Zambia bowed out of the tournament but with great pride.
2020 – Copper Princesses win silver at the Women Cosafa Under-17
The Zambia U-17 Women’s national team were denied a chance to lift their first COSAFA U-17 Women’s Championship thanks to poor officiating as they went down 4-3 on Post-match penalties to Tanzania following a 1-1 draw.
Zambia were denied a clear goal and conceded a fake penalty thanks to poor officiating by Botswana Referee Beauty Itumeleng Methikga.
2019 – Zambia Under-17 win bronze at Cosafa
Zambia edged Botswana 3-nil to mint Bronze while East African Guests Uganda edged South Africa 2-1 in an exciting finale to lift the Trophy at the first COSAFA U17 Girls Championship.
– Zambia Under-20 win silver
The Young Copper Queens had a fine performance at the inaugural Under-20 COSAFA Women’s Championship in South Africa winning silver.
Zambia emerged runners up after losing the final to Tanzania by 2-1 at Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Midfielder Evarine Susan Katongo was a darling of the crowd in South Africa.
– Copper Queens beaten in the final by South Africa
The Copper Queens came close to winning the COSAFA Women’s Championship in 2019 but succumbed to a 1-0 loss to Banyana Banyana of South Africa in the final to clinch silver.
Rachael Nachula picked up the Golden Boot award in the competition for her 10 goals, while Hellen Mubanga was named the Player of the Tournament as her strong showings took the Shepolopolo to the brink of a maiden title.
2018 – Featured at the Womens AFCON for the second time, eliminated in the group stage
The Copper Queens qualified to the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating Zimbabwe 2-1 in Harare with Barbra Banda scoring the final goal.
Rachel Kundananji stepped up at the finals after Banda sustained an injury. Kundananji was in good form at the Africa Cup where she scored three goals in three games.
Zambia were eliminated in the group stage but they sent a statement when they thrashed two time winners, Equatorial Guinea 5-0 in their opening game.
2014 – Maiden appearance at the FIFA Women Under-17 World Cup hosted by Costa Rica
After qualifying to their maiden FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Zambia lost their opener 2-0 to Italy.
The Copper Princesses’ went on to lose 4-0 to Venezuela before ending their campaign on a winning note beating hosts Costa Rica 2-1.
Barbra Banda set up Grace Chanda for Zambia’s only goal at the tournament.
– Copper Queens feature at AFCON
Zambia managed to just pick up a point from their group. They suffered a 2-0 loss at the hands of Namibia in their opening game.
Zambia then suffered a huge 6-0 defeat (Their second heaviest defeat in their history) their second game against eventual Champions Nigeria.
1995 – Zambia makes an appearance at Womens AFCON