Despite missing out on the provisional squad for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics qualifiers against Ghana, Zesco Ndola Girls Football Club striker Charity Mubanga has continued with her fine form in the Women’s Super League.
Last week, Copper Queens head coach Bruce Mwape released a 30-member provisional squad that did not include Mubanga, who is the current Zambian Women’s Super League top scorer.
The striker’s snubbing by the technical bench raised some eyebrows among some fans who believe the leading goalscorer deserved at least a place in the competitive Copper Queens squad, which includes veterans such as Kabange Mupopo and Racheal Nachula and the free-scoring duo of Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji.
However, Mubanga responded to her snub from the squad by scoring a brace for Zesco Ndola Girls, who beat Green Eagles 3-2 at the Trade Fair Grounds on Saturday.
Mubanga found the back of the net in the 10th and 23rd minutes, giving her side the lead twice before Avell Chitundu sealed all three points in the 63rd minute with a well-powered header.
Mubanga tearing ZWSL apart
A brace in the match marked the return to the score sheet for Mubanga, who has now scored 19 goals in 19 league matches. The win took Zesco’s point tally to 48 points in second place, one behind log leader Green Buffaloes.
The defending champions thrashed Chipata Girls FC 5-0, with Malawian international Vanessa Chikupira scoring a hat trick as Kabange Mupopo and Salome Phiri scored one each.
Meanwhile, the Zesco Ndola Girls quartet of shot-stopper Leticia Lungu, midfielders Majorie Mulenga and Avell Chitundu, as well as striker Fridah Kabwe, are expected to join camp today.
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Mwape’s lasses are preparing for the back-to-back penultimate qualifiers against Ghana set for the 23rd and 28th of February in Kumasi and Ndola, respectively.