Last updated on 21 July 202121 July 2021.From the section Women’s Football
Zambia women’s football team had an Olympic debut they will never forget – for good and bad reasons – as they faced European champions the Netherlands.
Despite conceding 10 goals against the 2019 World Cup runners-up, the world’s 104th-ranked side had plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
Captain Barbra Banda made history for the Copper Queens, scoring her country’s first ever women’s goal at an Olympics.
The 21-year-old striker, who has also been a professional boxer, went on to score a hat-trick, becoming the first female African player to score three goals at a Games.
Listen to the latest Olympics Daily podcastZambia upset the odds to become Africa’s sole representative in Tokyo, defeating 2019 Women’s World Cup qualifiers Cameroon in a play-off to take the sought-after slot, above even the might of Africa’s record nine-time champions Nigeria.
They were huge underdogs against the Netherlands – a side 100 places higher in the world rankings – and the star-studded Dutch, managed by future England boss Sarina Wiegman, were too much for them.
Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema scored four times for the Netherlands, who were also making their debut as they set a new record for the most goals scored by one team in an Olympic game.
Line-upsZambiaFormation 4-2-3-1
16Nali
8Belemu5Mulenga3Mweemba4Siamfuko
14Lungu6Wilombe
12Chitundu11Banda10Chanda
9Mubanga
16Nali8BelemuSubstituted forNamukwasaat 87’minutes5MulengaSubstituted forMusaseat 72’minutes3Mweemba4SiamfukoBooked at 66mins14Lungu6Wilombe12Chitundu11Banda10Chanda9MubangaSubstituted forLubandjiat 73’minutesSubstitutes1Musonda2Khosa7Lubandji15Musase19Katongo20Namukwasa21ChandaNetherlandsFormation 4-3-3
1van Veenendaal
17Janssen3van der Gragt4Nouwen5van Dongen
6Roord14Groenen10van de Donk
7van de Sanden9Miedema11Martens
1van Veenendaal17Janssen3van der GragtSubstituted forWilmsat 60’minutes4NouwenSubstituted forvan Esat 86’minutesBooked at 90mins5van Dongen6Roord14Groenen10van de DonkSubstituted forPelovaat 72’minutes7van de SandenSubstituted forJansenat 72’minutes9MiedemaSubstituted forBeerensteynat 60’minutes11MartensSubstitutes2Wilms12Folkertsma13Pelova15van Es16Kop18Beerensteyn19JansenReferee:Laura Fortunato
Attendance:1,744
Live TextMatch ends, Zambia Women 3, Netherlands 10.
Second Half ends, Zambia Women 3, Netherlands 10.
Offside, Netherlands. Lieke Martens tries a through ball, but Lynn Wilms is caught offside.
Corner, Netherlands. Conceded by Esther Namukwasa.
Offside, Zambia Women. Ireen Lungu tries a through ball, but Ochumba Lubandji is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Lynn Wilms (Netherlands) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lieke Martens.
Attempt missed. Lushomo Mweemba (Zambia Women) right footed shot from long range on the left misses to the left from a direct free kick.
Kika van Es (Netherlands) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Kika van Es (Netherlands).
Barbara Banda (Zambia Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Lineth Beerensteyn (Netherlands) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Victoria Pelova.
Substitution, Zambia Women. Esther Namukwasa replaces Margret Belemu.
Substitution, Netherlands. Kika van Es replaces Aniek Nouwen.
Goal! Zambia Women 3, Netherlands 10. Barbara Banda (Zambia Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
Goal! Zambia Women 2, Netherlands 10. Barbara Banda (Zambia Women) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Grace Chanda with a through ball.
Goal! Zambia Women 1, Netherlands 10. Victoria Pelova (Netherlands) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Renate Jansen with a cross.
Attempt missed. Dominique Janssen (Netherlands) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lieke Martens with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Netherlands. Conceded by Lushomo Mweemba.
Attempt missed. Barbara Banda (Zambia Women) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lushomo Mweemba.
Goal! Zambia Women 1, Netherlands 9. Lineth Beerensteyn (Netherlands) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.