Bruce Mwape Urges Caution Ahead of Second Leg Against Ghana
Following their hard-earned 1-0 triumph over Ghana in the Paris 2024 Olympics third-round, first-leg qualifier, Zambia’s women’s national team coach, Bruce Mwape, has issued a rallying call for focus ahead of the decisive second leg.
With the upcoming match scheduled at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Wednesday evening, the Copper Queens hold a slender 1-0 advantage over Ghana, courtesy of Racheal Kundananji’s well-placed lob in the 19th minute during the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Despite their lead, Mwape is adamant about guarding against complacency and has stressed the importance of maintaining a composed mindset.
“We just need to be cautious because the game is not yet over until it is over. We still have 90 minutes, we played 90 minutes away in Ghana. So this other 90 minutes, we cannot say since we are leading we should relax. We will play according to our plan,” remarked Mwape during a press briefing on Tuesday morning.
Mwape expressed satisfaction with his team’s preparation post the first leg encounter, highlighting their readiness for the upcoming challenge.
“After the first game in Ghana, we had two days in which to prepare for the second leg. In those two days, the team has prepared well and is ready to meet Ghana in the second leg,” Mwape affirmed.
Meanwhile, team captain Barbra Banda echoed Mwape’s sentiments, urging fans to turn out in large numbers to support the team and expressing confidence in their readiness.
“The fans should expect a good game… The competition is very high. It’s good for us as a country at large, so the fans should expect a good game tomorrow,” Banda asserted. “From the previous game that we had everyone is ready for the game. Everyone is fit and we are looking forward to tomorrow’s game.”
With both coach and captain aligned in their focus and determination, the stage is set for an enthralling encounter as the Copper Queens aim to secure their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
