Copper Queens coach Bruce Mwape has insisted that despite being the first time his team is participating in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, they are going there to compete and not just to make up numbers.
After leading the team to the Africa Cup of Nations twice in 2018 and 2022 as well as the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Mwape is set to guide Zambia to their debut World Cup.
He has attributed his team’s success to the rapid development of football in Southern Africa.
“Even in our region, football has really improved, for us to get to the world Cup it means that we are doing fine in fact we are not the only country representing the region even south Africa qualified for the world Cup,” he told Supersport.
Mwape reveals main target
Mwape said that their target at the World Cup is to reach the knockout stage. He stated that whatever comes after will just be a bonus
“To reach the knockout stage that’s our priority. We want to get to the knockout stage what comes there after will be a bonus.”
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Mwape added that he has prepared to face any team and they are ready to compete.
“We have done a good job, we are prepared to face any team. In our Group, the teams that we are facing all of them have been to the world Cup it’s us who are going there for the first time….. But that doesn’t mean that we will go there just to participate we will go there to compete,” he explained
Zambia is in Group C alongside Japan, Spain, and Cost Rica. They will open their campaign against Japan on 22nd July 2023.
