Spain vs Zambia: Another tough test ahead for debutants
Debutant side Zambia will face another tough test as the African side face Spain on matchday two of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Zambia, who are one of eight teams making their first ever World Cup appearance, are also the first landlocked African country to feature at a Women’s World Cup. Unfortunately for the ambitious side, they were humiliated 5-0 by Japan on matchday one and now face an uphill battle if they want to have any glimmer of hope at qualifying out of Group C.
Despite some impressive results for Zambia leading up to this tournament, including a 3-3 draw with Switzerland and an encouraging 3-2 victory over number-two ranked Germany, Bruce Mwape’s team were brought firmly back down to earth in their first ever World Cup match. Unfortunately, the Copper Queens were no match for a Japan side who recorded a whopping 26 shots on goal, converting five of those, while star striker Barbra Banda failed to have any impact on the game.
Zambia will face uphill battle in even tougher test
With goalkeeper Catherine Musonda suspended for this game after receiving her marching orders during Zambia’s heavy 5-0 defeat to Japan, the Copper Queens will need to make a reshuffle in between the posts. Eunice Sakala is expected to receive the tall task of trying to keep Spain’s free-flowing attack at bay, which naturally will be much easier said than done, while Banda will hope to offer more of an attacking threat as her team will desperately need someone to offer something up front.
Indeed, with just two games to go, Zambia will have to somehow turn things around when they take on Spain, who come into this match having cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over Costa Rica. La Roja have been in excellent form since the start of 2023, with just one loss from their last nine matches. That’s despite all the off-the-pitch drama Spain went through prior to this tournament, with over a dozen players deciding to refuse call-ups due to a dispute with the country’s football federation.
Spain look to put drama behind them and firmly focus on World Cup
Fortunately, many of those same players decided to reverse their stances and now have been included in the traveling party for the 2023 FIFA World Cup. Spain had no difficulties dispatching their opponents last time out and considering they’ve scored 24 goals without conceding in their last quintet of games, should have no issues scoring at least a few times here. If La Roja can, as many expect, win on Wednesday, and Japan earn at least a draw against Costa Rica, they will have secured their spot in the round of 16 with a match to spare, with their final tie against Japan being the likely decider as to who finishes top of their quartet.
Star attacker Alexia Putellas, who missed quite a bit of this past season due to an ACL injury, was given a bit of game-time off the bench. It’s not likely that she will be risked from the start in this match, especially as Spain are considered the overwhelming favorites to pick up all three points, but she very well could be given another substitute appearance in order to build up her match fitness.
All in all, Zambia’s World Cup journey hangs in the balance, unless if they can pull off what would be a huge upset. Football, of course, is no stranger to shock results, whether it be the women’s game, or the men’s game, and the World Cup has proven to be the perfect ground for fairytales to come true. Will the Copper Queens become the latest underdogs to slay a giant, or will their World Cup dreams come crashing down even before they got off the ground?
