Zambia Women’s national team captain and striker Barbara Banda is back in the fold for the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Cup following her sanctioned absence from the 2022 WAFCON.
Coach Bruce Mwape has named the Chinese -based striker in his provisional 33-member team for next week’s COSAFA Women’s Cup that
South Africa is hosting from August 31-September 11 at Nelson Mandela
Bay.
Banda missed the WAFCON in Morocco on medical grounds but watched proceedings as part of the backroom staff as Zambia raced to their debut knockout stage appearance to subsequently win bronze following a historic first-ever victory over 11-time champions Nigeria in their third place playoff.
Mwape’s team includes 19 players from their successful WAFCON outing
that also saw Zambia qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Missing is captained Grace Chanda of BIIK Shyehtp of Kazakhstan and Turkey-based goalkeeper Hazel Nali due to club obligations.
Mwape’s entire regulars from the Green Buffaloes club that won the
2022 COSAFA Zone CAF Women’s Champions League title are in the team.
COSAFA Zone Women’s Club championship golden boot winner Ireen Lungu who ended the tournament with five goals, and also scored one at WAFCON, is set to be one of the headline acts at Nelson Mandela Bay.
But Lungu’s clubmate tournament and golden glove winner Aisha Mbwana
has not been selected but instead, Zambia U17 national team goalkeeper
Chitete Munsaka of Lusaka Dynamos gets the nod.
Zambia is in Group B where they have been drawn against Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia.
Mwape’s team renews rivalries with Namibia seven months after their
nail-biting 2022 WAFCON final round qualifier that saw Zambia qualify
on away goals rule following a 1-1 last leg result in Windhoek after a
scoreless first leg result.
Namibia and Zambia meet in a potential Group B grudge showdown on match-day-one on September 1 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Zambia is chasing their debut COSAFA Women’s Cup title after reaching their only final in 2019.
They finished 3rd last season after beating newly crowned WAFCON
queens Banyana Banyana South Africa 3-2 on post-match penalties
after a 1-1 draw.
It was Zambia’s fourth COSAFA Women’s Cup bronze medal win.
FULL SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Eunice Sakala (Nkwazi Queens), Letisha Lungu (ZESCO Ndola
Girls), Agness Banda (National Assembly), Mary Nanyinza, Catherine
Musonda (both Indeni Roses), Chitete Munsaka (Lusaka Dynamos Women FC)
DEFENDERS: Vast Phiri (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Esther Banda (BUSA), Esther
Siamfuko (Queens Academy), Bertha Imponene (Nkwazi Queens), Agness
Musesa, Lushomo Mweemba, Anita Mulenga, Martha Tembo (all Green
Buffaloes), Judith Soko (YASA), Pauline Zulu (Lusaka Dynamos Women
FC), Margaret Belemu (Shanghai Shengli-China),
MIDFIELDERS: Ireen Lungu (Green Buffaloes), Mary Wilombe (Red Arrows),
Evarine Susan Katongo (ZISD Women), Natasha Witika (Bayelsa
Queens-Nigeria), Avell Chitundu (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Maweta Chilenga
(BUSA), Norin Betani (Indeni Roses), Misozi Zulu (Hakkariguku Spor FC
-Turkey)
STRIKERS: Natasha Nanyangwe (Green Buffaloes), Ochumba Oseke Lubanji
(Red Arrows), Elizabeth Mwale (ZISD Women), Eneless Phiri (Police
Doves), Jessy Zulu (Pataaki), Noria Sosala (Indeni Roses), Barbara
Banda (Shanghai Shengli-China), Lillian Mwaba (Queens Academy)
