Coach Bruce Mwape of Copper Queens of Zambia has expressed hope that the Zambia women national team would work hard to make it to the next round despite their 0-5 loss to Japan on Saturday.
Reacting after the match, the coach said the result was unfortunate as they never anticipated the score, however, noting that they would work hard to make it to the next round.
“We are still hopeful of advancing to the next round because we are still in the race,” he said.
“We never expected that kind of result but it has happened. We still have two matches to go in the group and we will try to get it right,” he said.
Recall that Japan caged the Copper Queens of Zambia 5-0 at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday morning Nigerian Time in an outstanding Group C match.
It would have been an avalanche of goals against the Africans as a Mina Tanaka goals in the 23rd and 50th minute were turned down by the VAR and a penalty awarded Japan in the 52nd minute was also overturned.
Miyazawa had scored a brace in the match with the first goals cored 43rd minute from Fujino right foot cross and in the 62nd minute making the 3rd goal for Japan when Tanaka made a dribble run to give Miyazawa the ball to tap into an empty net.
Tanakawa scored the 2nd goal in the 55th minute through J. Endo assist and Endo herself got a deserved goal from a left footed strike off Y. Hasegawa pass. The 5th goal was dramatic as substitute goalkeeper, Sakala of Zambia had saved a penalty from Riko Ueki but the VAR rejected the kick as Sakala was said to have violated the rules of goalkeeping at penalty kick times and Ueki scored it 90+11th minute.
Zambia was plagued by negative developments before the tournament as first choice goalkeeper, Hazel Nali could not make the team due to an ankle injury and Coach Bruce Mwape called on teenager, Catherine Musonda who was red carded in the 90+7th minute against Japan after the second yellow card. Chitundu was sacrificed to have another teenage goalkeeper, Eunice Sakala who was saddled to save a penalty on assumption of duty. Part of the plague was dependable defender Grace Chanda who had to be rushed to hospital on Tuesday for an undisclosed ailment but FIFA granted a replacement for her.
Zambia is one of the eight teams making their debut alongside Haiti; Ireland; Morocco; Panama; Philippines; Portugal and Vietnam.
The Japan versus Zambia match is the second game of Japan against an African side after their 2-1 win over Cameroon at the 2015 group stage.
Japan with nickname Nadeshiko is making her 9th appearance and were champions in 2011 at Germany and Silver Medalists at Canada 2015.
Spain had spanked Costa Rica in the group opener and is currently second on the table by goals aggregate.
The second round matches of Group C will be on Wednesday 26th July when Spain will play Zambia and Japan will tackle Costa Rica. The last group matches will be played on Monday 31st July with Japan versus Spain and Costa Rica versus Zambia.
