Barbara Banda wants to crown comeback with COSAFA triumph

Zambia Women’s national team striker and captain Barbara Banda wants to crown her return to international football by leading her side to the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Cup triumph at the tournament South Africa is hosting from August 31 to September 11.

Banda returns to the Zambia fold after the striker from Chinese club Shanghai Shengli was withdrawn from the 2022 Women’s AFCON due to medical reasons on the eve of the tournament Morocco held from July 2-23.

Zambia finished third after advancing to the knockout stage for the first time. Their semi-final placing ultimately secured their debut qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup that Australia and New Zealand will jointly host next June.

Banda said Zambia’s success in Morocco, together with that of her five of her national teammate’s with their club Green Buffaloes winning the COSAFA Women’s CAF Champions League on August 11 in Durban, is fuelling their desire to lift their debut COSAFA Women’s Cup and go one better than their 2019 runner-up finish.

“I am very happy and excited to be with the team. Our main target for us is to win the COSAFA Women’s Cup because of the recent tournament success that the team had,” Banda said.

Banda also returns to the COSAFA Cup for the first time since 2020.

“I am in good shape on my side, and I have to push hard after missing the last few games. So it is a very good comeback for me,” she added.

“We had not had enough rest since the WAFCON and for some, after they have just come from COSAFA Women’s CAF Champions League.

“But this tournament is a good step for our World Cup preparations. We won’t take it lightly because preparations for the bigger tournament that lies ahead start now.”

Zambia is in Group B at the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Cup in Nelson Mandela Bay, where they kick off their campaign on September 1 against Namibia. Eswatini and Lesotho are the other teams in Group B.