Zambian goalkeeper Catherine Musonda joins Hapoel Raanana

Musonda of Zambia gestures during the friendly between Germany and Zambia at Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Zambia’s Women’s National Team goalkeeper, Catherine Musonda has joined Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Raanana Women FC for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, subject to an extension.

Musonda joins the club after a brief stint with Tomiris-Turan in Kazakhstan, where she joined in April of last year after playing all four games for Zambia in the 2023 Turkish Women’s Cup.

She becomes the second Copper Queens player to feature in the current league after forward Rachael Nachula who plays for Hapoel Jerusalem.

Catherine Musonda looks on during the Women's international friendly between Germany and Zambia at Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer on July 7, 2023 in Fuerth, Germany. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) — Catherine Musonda looks on during the Women’s international friendly between Germany and Zambia at Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer on July 7, 2023 in Fuerth, Germany. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Despite her relatively young age, Musonda is already regarded as an experienced goalkeeper in the Copper Queens set-up, having competed in the Women’s Afcon in 2018 and 2022.

In the absence of the then-injured Hazel Nali, Musonda was the first-choice goalkeeper for Zambia at the 2022 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted by New Zealand and Australia.

She quickly adapts to different types of play, is good with her feet, and has been praised for her good ball distribution.