Zambia Senior Women’s National Soccer Team Coach, Bruce Mwape, has unveiled a 24-member squad that will compete at the 2023 Turkish Women’s Cup in Turkey next week.
Skipper Barbra Banda has returned after being ruled out in the provisional squad due to club commitment.
Banda was initially ruled out of the tournament as her club, Shanghai Shengli, is expected to participate in a CFA Women’s Football Championship to be held from 12-18 February in Kunming, Yunnan province.
Following further engagement between Shanghai Shengli and the Football Association of Zambia, the club has expressed its willingness to release the Banda as the Turkish Women’s Cup will offer multiple benefits to the player, the Copper Queens and Shanghai Shengli.
The squad is a fair mix of local and foreign-based players that has been boosted by the return of Banda.
The Turkish Women’s Cup is a four-team tournament that will run from 13th to 22nd February 2023 in the resort town of Alanya, Turkey with Venezuela, Uzbekistan and Zambia expected to take part.
The final squad comprises defenders Margaret Belemu of Hakkarigucu Spur-Turkey, Martha Tembo of BIIK Kazygurt, Shymkent-Kazakhstan, Lushomo Mweemba, Agness Musesa, Esther Siamfuko all Green Buffaloes, Pauline Zulu from Elite Ladies, Esther Banda of BUSA, Judith Soko of YASA.
The midfielders are Misozi Zulu of Hakkarigucu Spur-Turkey, Ireen Lungu, Hellen Chanda, both from BIIK Kazygurt Shymkent-Kazakhstan, Evarine Susan Katongo of ZISD Women, Mary Wilombe from Red Arrows, Prisca Chilufya of Fatih Karagumruk A.S-Turkey.
The strikers are Xiomara Mapepa of Elite Ladies, Ochumba Oseke Lubanji of Red Arrows, Hellen Mubanga, Rachael Nachula both from Zaragoza CFF in Spain, Grace Chanda, Rachael Kundananji of Madrid CFF and Barbara Banda from Shanghai Shengli in China