Confederation of African Football (CAF) has urged World Cup debutants Copper Queens of Zambia to keep their heads up despite their 5-0 loss to Japan on Saturday.
It was a disappointing Group C opener for Zambia against the 2011 women’s World Cup champions who put five past the third placed team at last year’s WAFCON.
A brace from Miyazawa Hinata and strikes from Tanaka Mina, Endo Jun and Ueki Riko sealed the impressive win for Japan.
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Commenting on the heavy loss, CAF wished Zambia all the best in their next two games.
“Keep your heads up girls! You’re writing history! Africa is behind you all the way. Good luck in the next games!”
Zambia will take on Spain in their second group game and also face Costa Rica.
Meanwhile, African champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa will play Sweden on Sunday and on Monday Morocco will battle two-time World Cup winners Germany.
20 Comments
This is the world cup sentiment will be reduced to a controllable level, unlike Africa where SA, Morroco and others have hatred for Nigeria. This time, God will vindicate Nigeria in this world cup.
Yes, God will. Some people before this tournament were laughing at the Super Eagles, saying that Zambia has finished their preparations but we were just starting ours. But right now, where’s Zambia? It will take a near miracle for them to win against Spain. South Africa would crumble against Sweden. The Swedish are so fast on the ball and it would be difficult for Bayana Bayana to stop them.
Nobody mocked Nigeria that Zambia had finished their preparation. It’s normal that teams have to prepare for a big tornament like this. And the NFF were not doing anything,or do you expect people to keep quiet or not mention countries doung the right thing, especially when such team are from the same continent as we are? The fact that we got lucky with that saved penalty agsinst Canada doesn’t make us any better than Zambia; just that it was our day. Remember this is Zambia’s first WC. Kindly Google the kind of bashing we also received in the inaugural edition of the competition in 1991. Nigeria wasn’t doing anything reasonable until the 3rd edition in 1999. That’s some 8 years after! Let’s respect these girls from Lusaka. They are our sisters and they need encouragement. Japan is a former WC chsmpion and they’ve beaten us as well in the run up to this tournament.
Superb reply…!
Apt
I salute you sir , we are all from the same continent , let us encourage and comfort one another where it’s needed .
Well said. We should not be fighting amongst ourselves as Africans, support each other. Am from Zambia and I love watching the Super Falcons they are good talent. When Nigeria is playing I will support and any other African team.
Good attitude. I love all the African team. Success all the way.
Wise words from resolute thinking. Zambia is at the WWC as African team. Thanks for the counsel
Africa sport can’t grow with such behaviour. Instead of lifting each other as African teams at the women’s world cup,we have started stabbing each other in the back.
Learn to lift each other up. Let’s build confidence in the losing African teams and encourage them to go on fighting to make Africa proud
Na Zambia collect wotowoto like dis so? No be this same Zambia wey beat the German machine ladies 3-2 for their backyard?
That’s football for you. Zambia is not bad team, but they were tactically outmaneuvered and outplayed.
At first, Japan tried to play thru the middle. When they saw that it wasn’t working, they switched to the wings, with their wing backs running the flanks. Then instead of just crossing the balls into the box, they started crossing the ball BEHIND THE ZAMBIAN DEFENDERS. This is what opened Zambia up. The 2 goals disallowed for offside came from crosses in behind the Zambia defence, and eventually, the Japanese started staying onside, so the goals started to count.
The Zambia goalie had done marvelously well in the first half. Without her heroics, we might be talking about a double digit victory for Japan. They could have scored up to 12 today, if not for the Zambia goalie.
A hard lesson for Zambia. And it doesn’t get easier. They face Paralluelo and Spain next!
Zambia were just not good enough. It is never easy for the newbies. Nice try.
They were not ready for the prime time even though they beat the Germans at home in friendly game. That game against the Germans get into their heads. They were running around like chickens whose heads were cut off. Some of them look like 40 years old self. Spain will take them to the slaughterhouse as well. Ye Ye mamas.
Nigeria is a very disruptive team, highly unpredictable. Most teams don’t like playing them. We just have a way of dealing with these big teams, no matter our form and state. Guess we’ve learnt how to do this over the years after the heavy defeats of 7-0, 8-0 of the early years from the games world powers. While I strongly pray that we leave the level of the crooked firewood that scatters the flow of the flame to the stage of a straight stick that cooks with ease, I pray Zambia comes back against Spain and bring their A game. And if they can’t, let them go back to the drawing board and strategize for the next WC.
But sincerely speaking, I’m not too comfortable with CAF’s zonal qualification for the AWCON, a tournament that also serves as the qualifying series for the WWC. This ensures the continent is underrepresented because I belive Ghana or CIV could have done a lot better than Zsmbia if any of them have made it to this WC.
Yeah the Zambians have got to bring their A game in the next fixture but as you said CAF should ditch this zonal qualifying nonsense cos to me it feels like some countries are being handed opportunities,they should use the coefficient process instead but with a little modification to it,that way opportunities will be earned.
Zoning is a strategem tagetted at reducing the dominance of west Africa football teams in Africa.Sad enough it comes with a price; Africa is now being represented by weak teams at the world stage . Jealousy is the winner
What zonal qualification are you talking about. There no such thing, four Wafcon semi finalists automatically qualify to the world cup. Pls stop abusing Zambia for beating the super falcons in the third to fourth places Wafcon. Instead congratulate a fellow African team for improving their game. This football its a game full of surprises. Zambia can come and beat Spain and Costarica remember there no underdogs in football any more. Let’s be fair and support all the African teams without prejudise
The biggest enemy to Africa in anything we do is Africa itself..How many bashings has Nigeria suffered at all the 4 world cup appearances?come on guys..let’s unite as africans
What has the same so called west African countries done better so far at the world stage? They barely go beyond group stages. It’s like sitting for an exam with passing mark of 50%. Then a person who gets 40% starts laughing at the friend for getting 30% or 35% instead of helping each other and perform better in the next exam. Pride won’t take us anyway failure is failure regardless of who has failed. Football-wise African countries are a huge disappointment be it men or women.
football is not a do or die affair. It’s a game to learn from and develop from your mistake. That is why you see players congratulating their self after each game . but you see fans fighting becos of their little knowledge of the game. African have to learn the bussiness side of football as a game and remove the war side.
@Lasungup.There is no way a Ghana , CIV or Cameroon team would have collected a consecutive 5-0 bashing in this modern times in a championship. Even in the days of humble beginnings, Nigeria will collect 7-0 in the first match, in the second it will reduce to 5-0 or 4-0.
player for player, the Zambian players are very good but it was all down to the coaching.