Harambee Starlets to face Copper Queens in friendly match

Kenya’s Harambee Starlets will flex muscles with Zambia’s Copper Queens in an international friendly match tentatively set for the end of this month.

The plan came to the fore through a media release circulated by Football Association of Zambia communications manager, Sydney Mungala on Wednesday.

“The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has secured two international friendly matches for the Copper Queens as part of intensified preparations for the Tokyo 2020 (to be played in 2021) Olympic Games.

“Zambia will play South Africa on April 10, 2021 in Johannesburg at Milpark Stadium before hosting the Harambee Starlets of Kenya this month end.

FAZ General Secretary, Adrian Kashala, said the Copper Queens would use the match to gauge their preparedness for the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics later in July.

“We are working hard to ensure we prepare the senior women national team for the Olympics and other tournaments. FAZ will continue building the success that women football has recorded so far,” he says.

“We are happy the national league for women is already underway with three weeks played. The provincial leagues are also up and running which gives our development trajectory a great boost.”

The Copper Queens are currently in camp as part of preparations for the Olympic Games.

They qualified to the Olympic Games for the first time and became the second team since 1988 when the men’s team made the Olympics. FAZ has drafted an intensive program for the Copper Queens that has already seen them play Chile in an international friendly , which they won 2-1 in December 2020 in Santiago.

The second scheduled match couldn't take place after some players tested positive for Covid-19.

The confirmation was done by FAZ, who indicated that the game will form part of their ladies preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Starlets were supposed to pitch camp this week after Football Kenya Federation dispatched letters to local clubs requesting them to release the selected players.

The plans were, however, dealt a major blow following the government's decision to halt all sporting activities in the country in a move aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

FKF president Nick Mwendwa confirmed they have already initiated urgent talks with the Ministry of Sports to allow the national teams prepare for all major upcoming assignments.