MATHEWS NDANDULA writes
THE Senior National Women’s team will have a number of high profile friendly matches ahead of their debut Olympics appearance next year.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has clinched an international friendly for the Copper Queens will play Chile on November 28 and December 1 in Santiago.
In a statement released by FAZ Communications Manager Sydney Mungala, Zambia is expected to put up a formidable performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that will be staged
in Japan in 2021.
The FAZ general Secretary has said the Chile outing will be one of several high profile friendlies aimed at improving match preparedness.
“We are happy to announce that we have organised a high profile match for our senior women national team with Chile. We believe that this will give the team a taste of high profile
opposition as we will be flying the continent’s flag in Tokyo,” says General Secretary Adrian Kashala.
The Copper Queens will be in Tokyo for the Olympic Games following their historic qualification.
En route to qualifying Zambia overcame Zimbabwe 5 – 0 at home with the Mighty warriors failing to show up for the return leg in Harare.
Zambia then took on Botswana whom the dispatched on a 3-0 aggregate before facing the Harambee Starlets of Kenya in the fourth round.
The Copper Queens advanced to the final round on a 3-2 aggregate that saw the two teams draw 2-2 in Nairobi before Zambia edged out the Harambee Starlets 1-0 in Lusaka to
book a date with the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.
Zambia lost 3-2 in Yaoundé before edging out the Lionesses 2-1 to qualify on the away goals rule that saw the two sides tied at 4-4.
The Copper Queens are only the fifth African side to reach the Olympics’ Women football tournament after Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Chile is ranked 37th in the world while Zambia stands at 100th position.
