Former Zambia Women’s National team head coach Albert Kachinga has praised the Copper Queens for showing strong character and mental strength in their opening two matches at the ongoing CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

The Copper Queens, 2022 bronze winners opened their WAFCON campaign with a 1-1 draw against hosts Morocco before edging Senegal in a thrilling Group A encounter on Wednesday.6

Speaking after Zambia’s 3-2 comeback victory over Senegal, Kachinga said the team has displayed impressive resilience, particularly in how they responded after going behind early in the match.

“The team has showed a lot of character and mental strength, especially against Senegal where we were trailing in the opening stages,” Kachinga said.

However, the former coach emphasized the need for improvements in the defensive setup, warning that conceding goals could hurt Zambia’s chances as the tournament progresses.

“The coach still needs to work on the defensive lapses. Chances of winning the competition are high once conceding cheap goals is worked on. There are a lot of positives to pick from the first two matches,” he added.

The Copper Queens will face the Democratic Republic of Congo in their final group match on Saturday as they aim to secure a spot in the knockout stages.