There is plenty at stake for Zambia as they face Brazil in a decisive Group F match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan today, Tuesday.
The match will take place at the iconic Saitama Stadium where Zambia have no option but to win the game.
The Copper Queens are hanging to their dream of making the knockout stage after starting the campaign with a 10-3 loss to Netherlands before bouncing back to settle for a 4-4 draw with China.
In both games, striker Barbara Banda showed her class by scoring a hat-trick to enter the race as among the leading scorers of the competition.
Banda has six goals in two games and must be looking forward to extending her tally, having declared that she wants to become a world-class football star.
Netherlands lead the group’s standings with four points from two games at par on the number of the points with second-placed Brazil then China follow on one point just like the bottom-placed Zambia.
In view of this, the Copper Queens are desperate to fight for the third-best slot that is up for grabs for teams across all the groups.
Zambia are the only representative for Africa in the women’s tournament and so far they have, despite their leaky defence, not disappointed going forward.
Ahead of the game against Brazil, Zambia coach Bruce Mwape has since made two tactical changes to the starting line-up that started against China, with Margaret Belemu and Martha Tembo getting the nod ahead of Esther Siamfuko and Mary Wilombe.
On the other hand, Brazil and Netherlands are in contention for a place in the knockout phase of the competition.
Brazil have always been the favourites to win the ultimate championship and so far, they have thumped China 5-0, with the star Marta among the scorers, and drawn 3-3 with Netherlands.
The striker was on target again as Brazil fought back to hold Netherlands in the next match.
Therefore today’s might, on a personal level, be the battle between Marta and Banda.
On the team level, that Brazil are favourites going into this game. This is evidenced by their superior ranking of position seven in the world against 104 for the Copper Queens.
Line-ups:
Brazil (possible line-up): Barbara; Tamires, Rafaelle, Erika, Benites; Debinha, Andressinha, Formiga, Duda; Marta, Beatriz
Zambia (confirmed line-up): Hazel Nali, Agness Musase, Lushomo Mweemba, Martha Tembo, Margaret Belemu, Ochumba Oseke, Grace Chanda, Barbara Banda, Avell Chitundu, Ireen Lungu, Rachel Kundananji