Early preparations pay off as Zambia U-17 women hammer DR Congo 5-0

The Zambia Under-17 Women’s National Team delivered a commanding performance on Saturday after thrashing the Democratic Republic of Congo 5-0 in the first leg of the second round of the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

The Copper Princesses produced one of their most polished displays in recent matches, showing attacking intent, composure in midfield and defensive discipline throughout the encounter.

Zambia looked a transformed side compared to the team that faced Rwanda in the opening round of the qualifiers, with the players appearing more coordinated and confident on the ball.

The dominant performance followed weeks of intensive preparations organised by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), which brought the squad into camp early in Lusaka before relocating to Ndola on May 17 for the final phase of training.

The team spent more than two weeks working on fitness, tactical drills and building chemistry among the players, with the technical bench using the extended camp to assess combinations and improve understanding within the squad.

The preparations also included competitive practice matches against Red Arrows Women’s Club and ZESCO Ndola Girls, which helped sharpen the team physically and mentally ahead of the crucial qualifier.

FAZ President Keith Mweemba has consistently emphasised the importance of early preparations for national teams, and the convincing result in Ndola appeared to validate that approach.

Zambia opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through Grace Phiri before Natasha Kasema doubled the advantage just before halftime to hand the hosts a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.

Kasema went on to complete her hat-trick in the second half as Zambia stretched the scoreline to 4-0, while Blessings Mutale added the fifth goal deep into stoppage time from the penalty spot to cap a dominant afternoon for the Copper Princesses.

The emphatic victory places Zambia in a strong position ahead of the return leg as the Copper Princesses continue their quest to qualify for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026.

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