Florence Mwila’s Copper Queens defeated defending champions Malawi 2-0 to secure a place in the 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship finals in South Africa. This victory serves as a sweet moment of redemption for Zambia, which avenged its 2-1 loss to Malawi in the tournament final last year.
The Copper Queens won thanks to second-half goals from Ochumba Oseke Lubanji (46th minute) and Fridah Mukoma (68th minute). The team has been dominant throughout the competition and is now only one game away from reclaiming the championship title that it narrowly missed last season.
Zambia will face South Africa or Mozambique in the final, with the other semifinal taking place later today as they will look to win the championship for the second time having won it in 2022.
“The two goals we conceded to me—it’s not goals that were supposed to be conceded, but it is part of the game,” Malawi’s coach Lovemore Fazili said after the match. “So I am accepting the defeat because this is all about football. One team should win and the other team should lose. Otherwise, it was not what we expected according to the first-half performance. So I’m wishing Zambia good luck for beating us and reaching the final.”
Zambia unbeaten and without conceding a goal
Zambia’s journey to the finals has been nothing short of impressive. With a 100% record and yet to concede a goal, the Copper Queens opened their campaign with a 3-0 win over Angola in Group C, followed by a resounding 7-0 victory over Comoros to secure their semifinal berth. Their semifinal showdown with Malawi posed their biggest test yet, as Malawi entered the match riding high after a 9-0 win over Mauritius in their final group match.
“I don’t want to say revenge, but it’s something that we really were looking forward to. And yes, victory, sweet victory. Not sweet revenge, but sweet victory,” Copper Queen’s coach Florence Mwila said after the game.
The Copper Queens will now shift their focus to the final, scheduled for Saturday, November 2nd, where they will face either South Africa or Mozambique. Mwila said her team is ready for either of the two.
“Whoever joins us, we welcome them and we just have to prepare ourselves for whichever team that comes,” Mwila said.
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