We’ll use Cosafa Cup as stepping stone to Africa Cup, says Shepolopolo coach

Shepolopolo assistant coach Kape Saili says the team is hoping to do better at this year’s Cosafa Women Championship to be staged in South Africa.

The Shepolopolo won bronze last year.
Saili told FAZfootball.com that the team was doing very well in the preparation ahead of the regional tournament starting on August 26.

“A good number of the girls have already reported for camp and the few not yet here should be joining us by the end of the day today [yesterday]. We are having our first session and will be able to see clearer in what state the girls are in as we go. This is just the starting point,” she said.
Saili said the team also had another eye on the Africa Cup of Nations in November having already qualified for the continental tournament.

“I hope we replicate the form that we showed last year at the tournament (Cosafa). Our target is to get into the final because we are going to use the Cosafa Castle Cup as a stepping stone to the Africa Cup,” she said. “We are going to meet the big guns in African football. It will be a wonderful thing if we go into the final of the Cosafa and even lift it because it has eluded us for a long time. We always come out third, like three times. We are hoping that this year we can get the gold.”

Owing to the new regulations by Cosafa that stipulates that all head coaches for national teams participating in the 2018 edition should be women, Zambia has appointed Enala Phiri as the person in charge of the team.

The tournament kicks off on August 26 in South Africa. Zambia has also qualified for the 2018 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana in November.

FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers

Hazel Nali (Green Buffalo FC), Maleta Mwawindwa (Green Buffalos FC), Bupe Mwanza (Green Buffalos FC), Catherine Musonda (Indeni Roses FC) Anita Sunguni (Green Buffalos Rugby FC).

Defenders
Anita Mulenga (Green Buffalos FC), Martha Tembo (Green Buffalos), Jackline Nkole (Indeni Roses FC) Margret Belemu (Red Arrows FC), Emelda Musonda (Red Arrows) Mweemba Lushomo (Nkwazi FC) and Jackline Mulenga (Nkwazi).

Midfielders
Tamara Mbewe (Green Eagles), Lweendo Chisamu (Green Buffalos FC), Rhoda Chileshe (Indeni Roses), Mary Mwakapilla (Green Buffalos FC), Joana Benayi (Green Buffalos FC), Hellen Chanda (Red Arrows FC) Mary Mambwe (Nkwazi FC) and Mercy Nthala (National Assembly).

Strikers

Barbra Banda (Green Buffalos FC), Misozi Zulu (Indeni Roses FC), Theresa Chewe (Indeni Roses FC), Rachel Kundanaji (Indeni Roses), Hellen Mubanga (Red Arrows) Etas Banda (Red Arrows) and Penelope Mulubwa from Zesco Girls FC.

Source: The Mast