Copper Queens captain Babra Banda has said her main target is to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title next year with Zambia.

The Zambia Women’s National Team will face Angola tomorrow in the 2024 WAFCON qualifiers in Luanda.

The Shanghai Shengli striker, who arrived in camp on Monday afternoon, stated that the team’s goal is to win the WAFCON and that the match against Angola is a must-win.

“This time around, as a team, our aim and target are to win the WAFCON because last time we didn’t win, but we came out in a good position, but this time around, our target is to go and grab the trophy,” Banda said.

The China-based striker, who was disqualified from the previous WAFCON due to a reported failed gender eligibility test, believes it is important that they begin with a win away in Luanda.

“It’s very important, especially since we are playing away; we need to win the game so that when we are back home, we just have to finalise the game and play to our level best,” she told FAZ media.

Banda challenges senior players to up their game

The skipper believes that the mix of foreign and local-based players will be good motivation because it will increase competition among the players. 

“But even us professionals [foreign-based], we need to gear up and pull up our socks because everyone is pushing hard to be on the team,” she said.

“The combination of foreign players and local players is a motivation for the young players and our encouragement is that they should continue working hard.”

Banda is looking to make her first-ever appearance at the WAFCON next year, hoping that the eligibility controversy that led to her disqualification last year does not reoccur.

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After Wednesday’s match, the Copper Queens will host Angola on December 5, 2023, at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola in the return leg.

The winner of two fixtures will qualify for the WAFCON tournament that will take place in Morocco next year.