Zambia women’s national team head coach Bruce Mwape has named his final 22-member squad to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games starting this month.
Mwape has omitted key players Margaret Belemu and midfielder Evarine Susan Katongo who will miss out on the football tournament due to a lack of fitness and injury respectively.
Belemu had been away from active football for a lengthy period of six months on military training with the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) before making Mwape’s provisional squad last month.
Midfielder Katongo will also miss out on the Olympics after picking an injury while midfielder Ireen Lungu is also another notable absentee.
Meanwhile, Mwape’s roaster has been headlined by the captain and Orlando Pride superstar Barbara Banda and her fellow US-based attacking partner Rachael Kundananji of Bay FC.
Grace Chanda also from Orlando Pride, Kazakhstani-based defender Lushomo Mweemba, Martha Tembo and Avell Chitundu will make their return to the Summer Games having also made the squad in Tokyo four years ago.
Mwape announced his final squad at a press conference held at Football House this morning.
The Copper Queens are set to leave the country next week for France for camp as well as a series of high-profile warm-up matches before the Games kick-off on Friday, 24th July, 2024.
Zambia have been drawn in Group B and will face favourites USA, Australia as well as Germany and will start their group stage campaign against the US in Nice on 25th July.
FINAL COPPER QUEENS SQUAD
- Goalkeepers
Catherine Musonda (Hapoel Raanana Women FC-Israel), Ngambo Musole Petronella (Green Buffaloes), Eunice Sakala (INDENI Roses) - Defenders
Martha Tembo, Lushomo Mweemba (both BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent-Kazakhstan), Esther Siamfuko,Diana Banda, (Both Green Buffaloes), Pauline Zulu (Elite Ladies),Vast Phiri (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Esther Muchinga (ZANACO Ladies) - Midfielders
Grace Chanda (Orlando Pride-USA), Misozi Zulu, Hellen Chanda (both Hakkarigucu Spur-Turkey), Rhoda Chileshe (INDENI Roses), Avell Chitundu (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Mary Wilombe (Red Arrows), Prisca Chilufya (Club Juarez Femenil-Mexico), - Strikers
Barbara Banda (Orlando Pride-USA), Rachael Kundananji (Bay FC-USA), Kabange Mupopo,(Green Buffaloes), Rachael Nachula (Hapoel Jerusalem-Israel), Ochumba Oseke Lubanji (Red Arrows)
