WHAM BAM ZAM! (Another 2023 Lesser World Cup Team Preview)

This being their first entry into the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the author has admittedly relied heavily on internet sources for the presentation on the girl soccer team of this landlocked African nation. Having said this now, Zambania is….

…is actually a nickname for the Republic of Zambia, which we all know to be a resource-rich pocket in south-central Africa.

Anyways, we’re here to talk about Zambia’s World Cup darlings, The Copper Queens! First fun fact about the team….

Obviously the team isn’t homeless anymore. I’m just offering this up as a, “started from the bottom, now we’re here” kind of milestone. I mean, homeless is pretty bottom. Especially for sports teams.

Look, there just isn’t a lot to say about this team because there isn’t a lot about this team written. I understand they tied Senegal in an Africa League game last year to make the World Cup Group Stage but, really, Africa women’s soccer is not something I know much about, can find much about, nor offers historic performance indicative of success in the 2023 FIFA WWC.

From Bard:

The Zambia women’s national football team, nicknamed the Copper Queens, are making their debut at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. They are the only tournament debutants in Group C, which also features Canada, Cameroon, and Japan.

Zambia qualified for the World Cup by finishing third at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. They narrowly missed out on a chance to reach the final, losing 1-0 to South Africa in the semi-finals. However, they bounced back to beat Nigeria 1-0 in the third place play-off match.

The Copper Queens are led by captain Barbra Banda, who is one of the most exciting young players in world football. The 23-year-old forward has scored an incredible 22 goals in just 10 appearances for her nation. She is also a professional boxer, and her athleticism and power make her a nightmare for defenders.

Other key players for Zambia include defender Lushomo Mweemba, midfielder Racheal Kundananji, and forward Grace Chanda. Mweemba is a physical presence at the back, while Kundananji is a creative midfielder who can dictate the tempo of the game. Chanda is a quick and skillful striker who is always a threat in front of goal.

Zambia will be the underdogs in Group C, but they will not be afraid to compete with the bigger teams. They have a strong team spirit and a never-say-die attitude, and they will be looking to make their mark on the world stage.

Here are some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Zambia women’s national football team:

Strengths:
Barbra Banda is one of the best players in the world.
The team is well-organized and disciplined.
They have a strong team spirit.

Weaknesses:
They lack experience at the highest level.
They will be the underdogs in their group.
They will need to score goals to be successful.
Overall, the Zambia women’s national football team is a team with a lot of potential. They have a talented squad, led by Barbra Banda, and they have a strong team spirit. However, they will need to overcome their lack of experience if they want to make a deep run at the World Cup.

Why You Should Root For Them
Zambia is diversity. Zambia is the underdog. If you’re into the ‘social justice’ thing, Banda had an interesting gender disqualification matter prior to the 2022 WAFCON tournament. Long-short, the whole thing reads like one of those, “oh our bureaucracy didn’t account for physical specimens that are AFRICAN AS HELL” so she was wrongly deemed ineligible on an administrative failure. But she also plays in the China Superleague and, hell, everyone cheats in sports so it isn’t like I’m going to put my reputation on the line defending some dude chick who is just trying to give her family a life outside of fucking Zambania.

This team isn’t, “Oh will Russell Wilson and a stacked roster be able to turn it around with all their world class professional support?” Japan and Canada are chalk. This is why the Group Stage is so important. We’re witnessing history. It’s no more history than the Celtics’ 10th conference title but it is history. It is not routine. So you want interest? For a few games, here you go.

I’ll say this from my research, the Zambanian gals don’t give up a lot of goals. They also play against other women from Africa. I mean, Zambia beating Nambia isn’t a real thing that matters in sports. Maybe e-sports but not real sports.

Why You Should Root Against Them
They look different than you. Their uniform sponsor is like those discarded19-0 Patriots shirts that never reached market. But, more likely, you’ve got a parlay that includes the Queens not covering. Will they cover? No idea. I’d guess no.

Anyways….
On to Sexy Friday wooooo!!!!!