Zambia U-17 coach Carol Kanyemba says the absence of current footage of DR Congo remains the only major setback in preparations for this month’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier.
The Copper Princesses are gearing up for the third-round, first-leg qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo to be played on May 24, 2026, at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
In an interview, Kanyemba insists her side remains on course for the crucial encounter.
She revealed that her technical bench has focused on improving the team’s physical conditioning before shifting attention to tactical work this week.
“We’ve been working on conditioning the girls, knowing that they come from different leagues and teams. So, we’ve been working on conditioning, endurance, strength and speed,” she said.
“This week we have started working on the tactical part and opted to have a training game with Red Arrows, which is a big and experienced team, to see how our girls respond after 10 days of training.
“It is a disadvantage to us because we don’t have the current team footage. Had they played the first round, we would have been able to see the kind of players they have,” Kanyemba said.
Kanyemba maintains that the focus still remains on winning the match, adding, “We are going to work with what we have and be able to read the game as it starts, then use that to our advantage.”
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