By Bola Yapa Zed | 23rd October, 2025
The Zambia Under-17 Women’s National Team suffered a 2–0 defeat to Japan in their second Group F fixture at the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, but there were signs of improvement from their opening loss to Paraguay. Despite the result, head coach Carol Kanyemba expressed pride in her team’s effort and emphasized that the tournament serves as an important developmental step for the young Copper Princesses.
The Copper Princesses held the reigning Asian champions to a goalless first half, showcasing discipline and resilience in defense. However, Japan’s relentless pressure eventually broke through in the second half. Sunaga Hanoka opened the scoring in the 69th minute, and Fukushima Noa converted a penalty 11 minutes later to seal the 2–0 win.
This result marked Zambia’s fifth consecutive defeat at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, but the performance reflected growth and composure compared to their opening 2–1 loss to Paraguay. The defensive shape was more organized, and the team’s transitional play showed encouraging signs of maturity.
Speaking after the match, head coach Carol Kanyemba praised her players for improving in confidence and teamwork. She admitted that lapses in concentration cost her team the game but highlighted the progress made from the first fixture.
“It has results because we lost the game, but football being what it is, we’ve gained momentum from the first match,” Kanyemba said. “The girls put in excellent effort. We lost concentration at a crucial moment and got too comfortable, which cost us. But this is a developmental stage — we’re growing as a team.”
Kanyemba noted that the team’s defensive communication and decision-making will remain key focus areas in training as the Copper Princesses prepare for their final group game.
Zambia will conclude their group stage campaign with a must-win encounter against New Zealand on Saturday. With zero points so far, the Copper Princesses must win convincingly and rely on favorable results in other matches to stand a chance of progressing to the Round of 16.
Despite the uphill battle, Kanyemba remains optimistic.
“We’re going to give it our all. The girls are positive and want to push until the last game,” she said. “If we get a good result, we’ll be grateful; if not, we’ll take lessons from it and keep improving.”
The match against New Zealand will test Zambia’s resolve and ability to build upon the growing chemistry within the squad.
Though the result against Japan was disappointing, Zambia’s U-17 Women’s National Team demonstrated progress and fighting spirit. Coach Kanyemba’s emphasis on growth, focus, and learning reflects the broader goal of developing a new generation of Copper Princesses capable of competing confidently at the highest level. Their final match against New Zealand will offer one last opportunity to leave a positive mark on the tournament.
