SHEPOLOPOLO BIG GUNS SUMMONED FOR COSAFA WOMENS CUP

SHEPOLOPOLO ZAMBIA DEFENDER MARTHA TEMBO (PIC CAF)

Shepolopolo Zambia coach Bruce Mwape is taking his best soldiers for the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Cup after naming 19 members of his 2022 WAFCON Bronze medal-winning team for next week’s regional championship in South Africa.

South Africa is hosting the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Cup from August 31-September 11 at Nelson Mandela Bay.

Mwape's 33-member provisional team also includes striker Barbara Banda who made headlines pre and during the AWFCON after she was withdrawn from the Morocco tournament over medical grounds.

The team also has Shepolopolo's Green Buffaloes six-member contingent that has not rested since WAFCON and they are back on the road to South Africa where they won the COSAFA Zone CAF Women’s Champions League qualifier tournament in Durban on August 13.

One of them, midfielder Ireen Lungu, scored 5 goals for Buffaloes in Durban where she walked away with the golden boot.

Missing are three overseas-based players led by Zambia captain Grace Chanda of BIIK Shyehtp in Kazakhstan.

First-choice goalkeeper Hazel Nali of Fatih Vatan Spor in Turkey and striker Xiomala Mapepa of Swedish club Djugardens will all miss the COSAFA Women’s Cup due to club commitments.

Shepolopolo made a historic run at the WAFCON where they advanced from the group stage for the first time en route to finishing third following a debut victory over record 11-time champions Nigeria whom they beat 1-0 in the battle for Bronze.

Zambia also qualified to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time with their semifinal placing for the finals that will be jointly hosted by New Zealand and Australia from June 30-July 30 2023.

Shepolopolo head to the COSAFA Cup seeking their maiden title after reaching the final just once in 2019.

Zambia has four COSAFA bronze medal wins including one in last year’s playoff when they beat nemesis and newly crowned WAFCON champions South Africa 3-2 on post-match penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Shepolopolo is in Group B where they have been drawn against Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia.

Namibia is the team Zambia beat to a 2022 WAFCON spot in the qualifiers in February on away goals rule after a 1-1 result in Windhoek following a 0-0 first leg result in Lusaka.

The two sides meet in their opening Group B match on September 1 at the iconic 2010 FIFA World Cup Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

 TEAM:
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)