Zambia’s Copper Queens have left for Paris, France ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games that kickoff on July 23.
Before the Olympic games, the Copper Queens will play two high profile international friendly matches starting with the July 13 tussle with New Zealand in Lyon.
During farewell to the Copper Queens, FAZ President Andrew Kamanga encouraged them to put in a lot of effort and fly the Zambian flag proudly at the Olympics.
“Like we have done in the past, we have made sure that we have prepared the team adequately. The competition will start on the 23rd of July, but you have gone early with a 12-day camp which we hope you will be able to utilize. We have arranged the first game on the 13th of July, we should be able to finalize the second one,” Kamanga told FAZ media.
“We can only wish you well. Remember that you are carrying the hopes of 20 million Zambians, so whatever you do on the pitch is for the benefit of Zambians. We can only wish you well and hope that you will do much better this time than we did in the last Olympics.”
Coach Bruce Mwape expressed his satisfaction that the squad will play two friendlies prior to the competition starting.
“We are ready for the Olympics”-Mwape.
“On behalf the technical bench I can say the team is ready for the competition,” Mwape said…It is good that we will get the second friendly, otherwise the team is ready for the tournament,” he said.
On behalf of the team, Israeli-born Rachael Nachula urged supporters to support the Copper Queens ahead of the Olympics.
“Thanks to the association, the government and the Zambian people. We will work hard to achieve our goal,” she said.
Zambia’s Olympic journey kicks off on July 25 against the United States of America in Nice before facing the Matildas three days later at the same venue. The final group match is against Germany in St Etienne on July 31.
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After making a historic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021, Bruce Mwape’s Copper Queens are returning to the Paris Olympics.
