Team Profile: Zambia

Team Profile: Zambia

Nickname: Copper Queens

Fifa RANKING: 103

HOW THEY QUALIFIED:

Zambia squeezed past Cosafa rivals Malawi 4-3 on aggregate to reach the second round stage. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic campaigners went on to edge another Cosafa neighbour, Namibia, on away goals rule to clinch their second consecutive and third qualification ticket after a 1-1 draw on aggregate.

First Round: Malawi 1-1 Zambia (2-3)

Second Round: Zambia 0-0 Namibia (1-1)

PREPARATIONS:

The 2018 Wafcon semifinalists commenced preparations with a local camp two weeks ago, with a local friendly between an All-Stars and the Rest team ending in a barren draw. They have regrouped again for a two-match series against Wafcon debutants and neighbours, Botswana on 29 April and 2 May.

COACH: Bruce Mwape

After their 2014 debut, the Copper Queens made a return to continental football under the watch of Mwape in 2018 and a year later, he led them to a first-ever Cosafa Women's Cup final. In 2020, he guided the team to a maiden Olympic qualification and is now hoping to surpass his 2018 semifinal feat in a bid to make more history, clinching a first-ever Women's World Cup ticket.

KEY PLAYERS:

Barbra Banda

Banda was the Chinese Women's Super League top scorer with 18 goals for Shanghai Shengli in her first season in 2020. Earlier, she inspired Zambia to a first-ever Olympic qualification, upsetting Cameroon. A year later, she made indelible marks at the Tokyo Olympics, where she became first female player in Olympic history to score back-to-back hat-tricks and the first to score two hat-tricks in one tournament.

Grace Chanda

The attacking midfielder finished as top scorer in the African qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, scoring eight goals. A year later, she scooped the FAZ Women's National League Best Player of the Season award and the Top Scorer of the Year award, scoring 35 goals in 26 games. In February, her exploits earned her a professional contract with Kazakhstan champions BIIK Kazykurt, where she has made an instant mark, winning the Women's Cup.

Hazel Nali

The former Green Buffaloes shot-stopper is making her mark in Europe since her move abroad in 2020. The Zambia first-choice goalkeeper enjoyed a fine season at Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Israel last season and is currently on the books of Turkish side Fatih Vatanspor, where she has kept at least four clean sheets this season. Her good form and experience playing in Europe will be a huge benefits to Zambia at the women's championship.