Zambia U17 Women’s National Team head coach Carol Kanyemba has called for focus, resilience, and belief following her side’s 2–1 defeat to Paraguay at the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup. Despite a spirited display in the second half, the Copper Princesses were undone by defensive lapses that allowed the South Americans to claim their historic first win at the tournament.
The result leaves Zambia needing positive results in their remaining two Group B matches against Japan and New Zealand to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stage.
Copper Princesses Show Spirit but Fall Short
Zambia took an early lead through Victoria Mbali, but the match turned when goalkeeper Mary Nyangu made an error that led to an own goal, before Nana Malanda deflected another effort into her own net. Despite a late surge — including a missed penalty from captain Mercy Chipasula — the young Copper Princesses could not find an equalizer.
Speaking after the game, Coach Kanyemba admitted that her side made avoidable mistakes, particularly in defence, but praised the players for their determination and improved second-half performance.
“We need a lot of concentration at the back and in the goal,” said Kanyemba. “Our goalkeeper was a bit jittery, but that’s normal at this stage. We’ve seen the errors and we’re going back to the drawing board to correct them. The second half was much better, and we’ll build from there.”
Kanyemba: “We’re Not Giving Up”
The Green Buffaloes Women’s Football Club assistant coach acknowledged the tough road ahead, with upcoming fixtures against Japan — who beat New Zealand 3–0 — and the Junior Football Ferns themselves. She, however, maintained that her team will continue fighting until the last whistle.
“It’s not going to be an easy path going forward, knowing Japan and New Zealand have experience at this level,” Kanyemba stated. “But we’re not giving up. We’ll fight to the final game and see how far we can go.”
The coach emphasized the importance of using each game as a learning opportunity, noting that Zambia’s participation is as much about development as it is about competition.
Learning from Mistakes and Building for the Future
Goalkeeper Mary Nyangu’s blunders drew attention, but Coach Kanyemba was quick to defend her player, describing such moments as part of the learning process for young athletes performing on the world stage.
“Mistakes are normal in football,” she said. “At this stage, jitters are expected. That’s why playing more friendly games is important — to build confidence and experience. We’ve learned from this, and going into the Japan game, we’ll face it with positivity and focus.”
The Copper Princesses showed flashes of creativity and energy, particularly in the second half, suggesting that lessons from the Paraguay loss could translate into stronger performances ahead.
Conclusion
Despite a frustrating defeat, Coach Carol Kanyemba remains optimistic about Zambia’s chances in the remaining group games. The Copper Princesses will need to demonstrate discipline, composure, and sharper finishing against Japan and New Zealand to keep their knockout hopes alive.
As Kanyemba put it, the mission is clear — learn fast, stay united, and keep fighting until the end.
