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Zambia will face Japan in its opening match and World Cup debut in Hamilton on July 22. | Photo Credit: AP
Zambia’s Women’s World Cup team is confident heading into their Group C opener against Japan slated for Saturday, July 22. Despite being the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, coach Bruce Mwape believes his young squad has enough talent and energy to upset anyone. READ ALSO: Preview: Lowly-ranked Nigeria hoping to upset Canada Mwape’s confidence is well-founded. The Copper Queens stunned Germany 3-2 away in a warm-up game two weeks ago, completing a European tour in which the African side also drew with Switzerland and lost by a goal to Ireland. ALSO READ: Co-hosts New Zealand stun Norway in Women’s World Cup opener Mwape is convinced that teams would be foolish to write off his 77th-ranked side, which boasts some prolific goal-scorers. “Maybe the age will give us an advantage. Playing old people, I think they will not withstand that pressure from the young ones,” Mwape said. ALSO READ: Seven young players to watch at 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup “Experience is also important, but the games that we have played, I think our girls now have gained that experience.” Mwape’s team is one of the youngest at the World Cup. The squad is led by 23-year-old captain Barbra Banda who scored twice against the Germans. Banda is one of the team’s star players, having scored two hat-tricks at the 2021 Olympics. Along with Madrid-based forwards Racheal Kundananji and Grace Chanda, Zambia’s team is one to watch. Despite their youth, Mwape believes his players have the experience required to play in this competition. “They’ve been to the African Cup of Nations twice; they’ve been to the Olympics. I think they have the experience required to play in this competition,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we cannot consider ourselves as underdogs. We regard ourselves as an epic team that can challenge any other team in the world.” A leaky defence at the Tokyo Games, including a 10-3 hammering from the Netherlands, meant Zambia didn’t advance beyond the group phase. But Mwape believes his players have matured at both ends of the pitch. Mwape’s confidence in his team is infectious. And given the squad’s impressive results in warm-up games and their young, talented squad, they’re a team that no one should underestimate.
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Zambia makes its Women’s World Cup debut against Japan as a questionable participant in the elite tournament.
The Copper Queens qualified because of Africa’s qualifying format. Because they are ranked 77th in the world, critics have questioned if the team would be here if it had competed for any other continental confederation.