The Copper Queens‘ Olympic qualifier against Ghana’s Black Queens on Wednesday evening at the Levy Mwanawansa Stadium in Ndola was an incredible emotional rollercoaster.
The two teams went punch for punch until the very last minute of the match, when Zambia’s skipper, Barbra Banda, produced a magical moment in injury time and scored the game’s decider from a free kick at the edge of the penalty box.
Ghana took the lead twice, scoring three goals in Ndola, while Zambia rallied from behind to force a 3-3 draw and advance to the qualifiers’ final round with a 4-3 aggregate win owing to a 1-0 first-leg triumph in Accra.
“It was war”- Banda
Despite both teams scoring three goals each, Ghana dominated the second leg in Ndola and were unlucky not to win, with Banda describing the match as war.
“It was war, a bloody one,” Banda told reporters after the match. ” But all in all, it was a good and tough game. Ghana is not an easy team to beat but we have managed and we are looking forward to the next game. We will remain focused and disciplined.”
Banda also discussed how she felt when she walked up to take the free kick in the last minute of the game after being fouled by Jenniffer Cudjoe on the edge of the penalty area.
“Honestly, at that moment, that was the hardest feeling that I have had because everyone had to leave the ball for me and they trusted me. So I think the only thing that worked for me was a prayer because I was praying in my heart that this is my last chance and I have to utilize it and God answered [my prayer ].”
Banda, the only player in Olympic history to rack up consecutive hat-tricks, struck the ball low and it went past the Ghanaian wall for her second goal of the game.
The Copper Queens will now shift their focus to their final game in the qualifiers against Morocco in April.
The Atlas Lionesses thrashed Tunisia 4-1 to advance to the next round with a 6-2 aggregate win.
Coached by Jorge Vilda, who won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with Spain, Morocco is looking to qualify for the Olympics for the first time.
The last time the two met was in back-to-back friendly games, which Zambia won 2-0 and 6-2. The two matches led to Morocco sacking Frenchman Reynald Pedros, who was replaced by Vilda.
