NEWS
Crested Cranes humble Zambia in build-up match ahead of WAFCON 2022
The Uganda Crested Cranes have humbled the Copper Queens of Zambia 5-0 in an international friendly played at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on Tuesday evening.
Zambia started a more hungry side with skipper Grace Chanda missing a sitter after a good cross by defender Margaret Belemu after only four minutes.
After 15 minutes Zambia’s Lushomo Mweemba was unable to continue due to injury, and was replaced by Esther Banda.
Coach George William Lutalo’s side took the lead after 37 minutes through Rita Kivumbi. But after only one minute Uganda increased the lead through Kazakhstan based professional Fauzia Najjemba.
The Austria based Viola Nambi also got herself on the score sheet after 42 minutes as the Crested Cranes run rings around the Zambian defence.
After the interval the Copper Queens tried to regroup and push forward, but were again caught off guard when Nambi netted her second of the night after 57 minutes.
Substitute Fazila Ikwaput put the icing on the cake with the fifth goal coming after 72 minutes.
“This has been a good morale boosting friendly match. We need to continue working hard ahead of the TotalEnergies Women’s African Cup of Nations,” said Uganda’s coach Lutalo after the match.
The two teams used the friendly match to prepare ahead of start of the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2022 which kicks off in Morocco on July 2nd.
Uganda Crested Cranes are placed in Group A alongside hosts Morocco, Senegal and Burkina Faso, while Zambia are in Group B together with Cameroon, Tunisia and Togo.