Copper Queens to play cautiously in Accra, says Coach Mwape

Copper Queens to play cautiously in Accra, says Coach Mwape

Bruce Mwape, the head coach of the Zambia women’s national football team, known as the Copper Queens, is gearing up for a cautious match against Ghana. The upcoming game, to be held at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, February 23rd, will be the first leg of their encounter.

Mwape acknowledges the challenge of playing away, especially with Ghana enjoying home support. However, he remains optimistic, citing the team’s recent experiences in major tournaments like the Olympics and the World Cup as valuable assets.

“We will play cautiously because it won’t be an easy game. They will have the home support but that won’t discourage our players. We have gathered experience of late and it will help us,” Mwape stated.

The coach expects a tough match against the Ghanaian side, noting their adequate preparation and the recent form of the Copper Queens. Zambia has 30 players in camp, with preparations starting on Tuesday and training on Wednesday, with no reported injuries so far.

Reflecting on their previous encounter with Ghana four years ago, Mwape recalls a challenging match that Zambia won through a hat-trick by Kundananji (Rachel). He emphasizes that Ghana is likely preparing for them, recognizing that Zambia is now a formidable opponent after participating in major tournaments.

The second leg of the qualifier will be hosted by Zambia at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Wednesday, 28th February, with kickoff scheduled for 18h00. The winner between Zambia and Ghana will progress to face either Tunisia or Morocco in the final round of qualification.