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After winning their last group stage game against Togo 4-1 on Saturday night in Casablanca, Zambia sailed to the quarterfinals as Group B leaders and will face a Senegal side that finished second in Group A.
They will play on Wednesday 13th July at the Stade Mohamed V stadium, Casablanca.
With an advantage that every side that reaches the semi-finals in Morocco will gain automatic qualification for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
Both The Copper queens and Teranga Lionesses have never played at the global tournament before and are hoping to do so this time round.
Zambia will give their all to go back to the tournament with motivation that if they did play at the Olympics why not at the World Cup. Talking to the media Zambia Head Coach Bruce Mwape came out to affirm that;
We want to play as if we’re playing the final because once we win that one, automatically we know that we are in the World Cup, this game is what we want to play – and we’ll be taking it very seriously.
After claims of gender eligibility, that led to the absence of Cooper Queens Captain Barbra Bandawas who was a key figure as Zambia’s women made their Olympic debut, scoring back-to-back hat-tricks in Tokyo.
Zambia finished the group unbeaten with two wins and a draw in the three Group stage games thanks to exceptional performances from Grace Chanda, Ireen Lungu and Siomara Mapepa.
On the other side, Teranga Lionesses just like the Cooper Queens have only conceded once so far in the tournament so far with just penalty by Morocco Captain Ghizlane Chebbak meaning that the two sides have an impressive defence.
This game is seen as one that is going to be very open, with both teams thriving on counter attack football and also falling back wen they lose the ball.
Senegal players after scoring against Burkina Faso.
The Teranga Lionesses also have some exceptional names that can endanger the Cooper Queens on any other day Ndeye Awa Diakhaté and Nguenar Ndiaye.
Probable line ups
Zambia
Hazel Nali(GK), Lushomo Mweemba, Margaret Belemu, Ochumba Lubandji, Grace Chanda(C), Siomala Mapepa, Evarine Katongo, Martha Tembo, Ireen Lungu, Agness Musase, Avell Chitundu
Senegal
Ndeye Diaw(GK), Mame Diouf, Ndeye Kane, Mama Diop, Adjaw Diagne, Safietou Sagna(C), Salimata Ndiaye, Jeanne Niang, Meta Camara, Korka Fall, Astou Ngom.
In the other game, Hosts Morocco who are famously known as the Atlas Lionesses will play Botswana who advanced to the quarter-final as a third placed team in Group C at the Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, Rabat.
Morocco who have got most of their goals through set piece action, to be specific, Captain Ghizlane Chebbak scoring three(3) and Rosella Ayyane(1) making it 4 set piece goals out of the total five (5) they have scored so far.
Morocco being the hosts are boasted by the fact that they are the hosting nation of this 12th edition, they have one of the best coaches on the continent known as Reynald Pedros the Frenchman who has showed how tactical he can be.
Chebback celebrating her goal against Senegal women.
This was portrayed in the different games played so far at the tournament mostly in the game against Uganda where he managed to cut out the danger the Crested Cranes side which was in the forward line of Fauzia Najjemba and Fazila Ikwaput by cutting of their supply.
Against Botswana, Chebbak and Morocco go up against one of the fastest teams in this tournament however much they struggled in the group stages having to go against Africa’s top two sides in Nigeria and South Africa and still made it out of the Group C.
Botswana players dancing after scoring a goal against Burundi.
Just like their opponents who have overly relayed on skipper Chebbak for goals (top scorer of the tournament), Botswana also relay on Karabo Dithebe and main woman Refilwe Tholakele who were both on the score-sheet in their only win against debutant Burundi.
Probable line ups.
Morocco
Khadija ER-Rmichi(GK), Zineb Redouani, El had Nesryne, Nahla Nakkach, Ghizlane Chebbak(C), Fatima Tagnaout, Samya Hassani, Hanane El Haj, Sanaa Mssoudy, Yasmin Mrabet, Rosella Ayane.
Botswana
Maitumel Bosija(GK)(C), Kesegofetse Mochawe, Masego Montsho, Refilwe Tholakele, Lone Gaofetoge, Mokgabo Thanda, Lesego Radiakanyo, Keitumetse Dithebe, Veronicah Mogotsi, Balothanyi Johannes, Anna Sechane
