Following the release of his final squad for the back-to-back friendlies against South Korea this Friday and Tuesday next week, Zambia Women’s National Team coach Bruce Mwape has come under fire from fans.
The fans are demanding an explanation for the omission of some old members of the team.
Mwape named a 24-member squad, including USA-born striker Inonge Kaloustian, who received her first call-up to the national team just less than a month after obtaining her Zambian passport.
The Copper Queens gaffer also dropped Turkish-based midfielder Misozi Zulu and Zesco Ladies FC attacker Avell Chitundu, a move that has sparked further debates among fans.
Chitundu scored Zambia’s equalizing goal against Senegal in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Her goal forced that match into extra time, which the Copper Queens won 4-2 on penalty shootouts to qualify for the semifinal and World Cup.
Some fans, therefore, feel she deserved a place in the World Cup-bound squad.
“Players were picked on merit”- Mwape
However, in response, Mwape claims that those who were left out did not impress his technical bench.
“I don’t think there was any problem. We are just looking at each individual….The performance of each individual player…… And those who showed that they are able to be part of the team are the ones that we picked,” Mwape told FAZ TV.
He emphasized that there was nothing sinister about his final squad’s selection process, as each player was chosen on merit.
“I don’t think there was any problem where selection is concerned….. It was just that the players were picked on merit,” stated the Copper Queens coach.
Meanwhile, defender Lushomo Mweemba has been ruled out of the two friendly matches against South Korea. This is due to a ‘serious injury’ she sustained, according to Mwape.
Defender, Magret Belemu has also been excused from the team to finalize her move to Shanghai Shengli in China.
Zambia will make their maiden appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup this year. The tournament is set to kick off on July 20, 2023, in Newzealand and Australia.
The Copper Queens were drawn in Group C with Costa Rica, Japan, and Spain. They will kick off their campaign on July 22nd against Japan.
