Zambia U17 Women’s National Team coach Carol Kanyemba says the Copper Princesses cannot wait to play in front of supporters at National Heroes Stadium for the first time on Sunday.
Zambia will have the opportunity to play at the 50,009-capacity Stadium when they take on Uganda in the 2024 U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup third round, first leg qualifier.
It will be the first time that a women’s national team will be setting foot at the ultra-modern Stadium for a competitive match since it was opened in May 2014.
“We would like to set a trend, we have never played at the stadium and us the Copper Princesses playing on the pitch is really an honour because it’s a memorable stadium,” said Kanyemba.
“It’s good to set a good trend and we are going to put in everything so that the first game we play at that pitch (Heroes), we get a very positive result and that will set a trend for the future games that we will play in the stadium.”
The match will kick-off at 12h30 and Kanyemba shared the team’s readiness for the exciting encounter against the Teen Cranes, who knocked out Cameroon to setup a third-round meeting with the Copper Princesses.
“The friendlies that we have had have been a good test because we want to see how they could contain the pressure and it highlighted some of the areas that needed to be addressed which we have worked on and today’s game (with Pataaki) was to see if they have understood the corrections,” Kanyemba explained.
“The girls are looking fine; we don’t have any injury concerns and the girls are putting in their best and they all look focused.”
The return leg will take place on 17th May 2024 at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende and the winner over both legs will face either Morocco or Algeria in the fourth and final round for a place at the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup to be staged in the Dominican Republic.
Zambia squad; Goalkeepers: Margaret Phiri (Elite Ladies), Mwila Chishala Mufunte (Police Dove Queens), Cynthia Mushili (Trident Queens).
Defenders; Margaret Gondwe (Luyando Foundation Girls), Natasha Nkaka (Choma Warriors), Anna Mulanda (Play It Forward), Chabota Mweene (Zed Pro Sports Foundation), Lungowe Phiri (Pataaki Fc), Chimwemwe Banda (Football Chance Academy), Eunice Bwalya (YASA Queens).
Midfielders; Zangose Blessing Zulu (Pataaki Fc), Mapalo Blessing Maluba (Marvelous Academy), Harriet Matipa (YASA Queens), Saliya Mwanza (Elite Ladies), Taonga Mubanga (YASA Queens), Mary Mukupa (Red Arrows), Sharon Muyuti (YASA Queens).
Strikers; Namute Chileshe (Green Buffaloes), Eunice Mutonyi (Police Dove Queens), Mercy Chipasula (Kamfinsa Blue Eagles), Lweendo Hanongo (Driven Queens), Gift Chilwizhi (Kamfinsa Blue Eagles), Fridah Mukoma (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Ruth Muwowo (Amazing Grace), Theresa Nayame (Merced Queens).