Bruce Mwape Unveils 23-player Squad for Ghana Showdown
Bruce Mwape Unveils 23-player Squad for Ghana Showdown
Zambia Women’s National Team head coach, Bruce Mwape, has finalized his 23-player squad for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament third-round, first-leg qualifier against Ghana, scheduled for Friday.
Mwape has opted to retain a significant portion of the squad that featured in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifying campaign. Additionally, he has included six players from the Copper Queens who have been absent from the team for an extended period.
Among the notable returnees are former captain Kabange Mupopo, goalkeeper Loveness Tonge from Green Eagles, defenders Natasha Kapombo, Martha Banda, Tabo Miselo, and midfielder Marjory Mulenga from ZESCO Ndola Girls.
The team, led by captain Barbra Banda, is set to depart from Lusaka for Accra on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, players based in Israel, Catherine Musonda and Rachael Nachula, as well as Hellen Chanda and Misozi Zulu in Turkey, will join the squad directly in Ghana on Tuesday.
The crucial qualifier against the Black Queens will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium at 19:00 local time, with the return leg scheduled five days later at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Tickets for the home match can be purchased at all Shoprite stores nationwide via CompuTicket. Prices range from K20 for Early Bird tickets, K30 for East, North, and South stands, K50 for the West stand, and K100 for VIP tickets.
FINAL SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Catherine Musonda (Hapoel Raanana Women FC – Israel)
Ngambo Musole (Green Buffaloes)
Loveness Tonge (Green Eagles)
DEFENDERS
Natasha Kapombo (INDENI Roses)
Tabo Miselo (National Assembly)
Martha Tembo (BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent – Kazakhstan)
Lushomo Mweemba, Martha Katila Banda, Esther Banda (all Green Buffaloes)
Pauline Zulu (Elite Ladies)
Judith Soko (YASA)
MIDFIELDERS
Misozi Zulu, Hellen Chanda (both Hakkarigucu Spur – Turkey)
Ireen Lungu (BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent – Kazakhstan)
Comfort Selemani (Elite Ladies)
Evarine Susan Katongo (Green Buffaloes)
Marjory Mulenga, Avell Chitundu (both ZESCO Ndola Girls)
STRIKERS
Rachael Kundananji (Bay FC – USA)
Barbra Banda (Shanghai Shengli – China)
Rachael Nachula (Hapoel Jerusalem – Israel)
Fridah Kabwe (ZESCO Ndola Girls)
Kabange Mupopo (Green Buffaloes)
