Kundananji Reflects on Loss to South Africa, Looks Ahead with Confidence to WAFCON
Copper Queens striker Racheal Kundananji has described Zambia’s 2-0 loss to South Africa as a painful but necessary learning experience, calling it an “eye-opener” as the team prepares for the upcoming Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Speaking in a post-match interview, Kundananji acknowledged the sting of the defeat but maintained a positive outlook on the team’s growth and readiness. “It’s painful for the results,” she admitted, “but this is a preparation and this is the eye-opener for us to see where we should work on… I like it that we lost, better than if we won, we could have relaxed.”
Zambia had earlier faced Botswana in another preparatory fixture and is using these matches to fine-tune their squad for the continental showpiece set to kick off in less than a month. Kundananji stressed the importance of returning to training with renewed determination: “We are going back and work hard so that, you know, when we go to the WAFCON we need to do our level best.”
On a broader note, Kundananji reflected on the growth of women’s football in Africa, highlighting the increasing number of players plying their trade abroad as a sign of progress. “There are a lot of African players who have come to show what talent we have in Africa… we are motivating other young players to work hard and say they can be anybody.”
Kundananji, who plays professionally in the United States, sees her journey as an inspiration for young African footballers. “If they see our story and then they see where we are, they will be like nothing is impossible.”
Looking ahead to WAFCON, she expressed clear ambition. “Step by step, you can never go down, always go up. Our aim is to go up… and who knows, becoming the champions, which we can do.”
The Copper Queens finished third in the last edition of the tournament and are eyeing a historic run this year. With talents like Kundananji leading the charge, hopes remain high for Zambia to make a strong statement on the continental stage.
