Zambia's women's national football team, known as the Copper Queens, are poised to challenge the established order in African football. Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji believes that Zambia is ready to shake up the dominance of Nigeria and defending champions South Africa at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Kundananji told ESPN: "At WAFCON, we are going to be the powerhouse, and our target is to win the Cup. We need to do it for the first time for Mother Zambia. Carrying an international cup would be so great for the whole of Zambia."
Nigeria, with their 11 wins, are a formidable opponent, but Kundananji asserts that the Copper Queens are prepared for the challenge. "Zambia is Zambia. There are big teams who have been dominating for a long time, but now, it is time for a new team to dominate. It won't be easy but we are ready for the fight," the NWSL star added.
Their confidence is fueled by an array of generational talent playing in the NWSL and Europe. This core of battle-hardened stars have also been given extra pep by the arrival of Swiss tactician Nora Häuptle, whose structured, high-tempo philosophy has already begun to reshape the team.
Zambia, without Kundananji and fellow star striker Barbra Banda, finished third at the last tournament, achieving a shock upset by beating 11-time champions Nigeria in the third place match. The forward says that victory, and their stirring performances at two Olympic Games and the World Cup, have put them in good stead to ruffle feathers.
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Key Players and Coaching Influence
Zambia's confidence is bolstered by the presence of talented players in top leagues around the world:
- Barbra Banda: The Orlando Pride forward is known for her ability to play between the lines and her knack for big moments, demonstrated by her record of three Olympic hat-tricks and nine goals in total, making her Africa's record scorer at the Games.
- Racheal Kundananji: The Bay FC forward enjoyed an impressive debut season in the NWSL, registering five goals and four assists. Her pace, movement, and finishing are a constant source of headaches to opposition defenders everywhere she goes.
- Grace Chanda: A versatile playmaker currently plying her trade in Kazakhstan, she offers creativity and balance in midfield.
- Margaret Belemu: A dynamic right-back known for her engine and overlaps.
- Agness Musase: Whose commanding presence in aerial duels anchors the backline.
The arrival of Swiss tactician Nora Häuptle has also been instrumental. "Despite having a new coach who has come in, we think she is going to do something and continue taking the team where we should be," Kundananji said of the new tactician.
Hauptle, who has prior experience of African football with Ghana's Black Queens, took over the reins in January and was not holding back about her team's ambitions either, ahead of a July 5 opening day meeting with Morocco, their first opponent and arguably the toughest team in their group that also includes Senegal and Congo DR.
"We are ready to hunt," Häuptle told the media from the team's training base in Morocco. "Morocco have technically good players, and we are aware of that, but we want to challenge them the best we can and find the right strategy to go at them."
For Hauptle, that starts with building a team culture: "We had a very good session. . .about our values - how we want to act on the pitch, how we want to be recognised, and what kind of culture we want to express to the outside. The mood is excellent. I think we have found a very good balance between having a good mood and working hard."
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Zambia's Strengths and Cohesion
With the core of the team having been playing together since at least 2018, Kundananji is confident that their cohesion will be their winning ingredient. She said: "Playing for the national team is different from playing at the club level because here we know each other. We have been together for so many years and it's very easy. All the players know my style and how I move."
Kundananji, who is famous for playing with a smile on her face, believes Zambia will play with freedom: "In soccer, you don't need to have pressure."
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Historical Context and Recent Developments
Zambia's under-17s, a team which has included Banda and seven other current Copper Queens players, have been dominant at the youth level in Africa. They regularly win the regional Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup and have recently qualified for their second successive FIFA Under-17 World Cup. However, that success has rarely translated to anything significant at senior level.
In 2014’s WAFCON, Zambia lost every game. After failing to qualify in 2016, they have featured in every edition since. They failed to get out of their group in 2018, but at the next tournament in 2022 they broke through, losing to eventual winners South Africa in the semi-finals.
Change has been bubbling the last decade, in large part thanks to stars like Banda and Kundananji playing abroad in the NWSL. Much of the credit also lies with the strength of the country’s domestic football. In 2022, Zambia’s 22-player squad was made up of 18 domestically based players.
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In the mid-2010s, the Zambian Football Federation (FAZ) began incorporating previously unconnected regional leagues into a single football pyramid. Perhaps more impactfully, they also established regular youth-level tournaments for academies and schools to participate in for both boys and girls.
From an early age, most players are on the radar of the national team - Banda was selected for the Under-17 national side at just 13. The federation has also been proactive at providing international opportunities for those youth players, regularly participating in the COSAFA Cup.
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