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The Independent Observer > Sports > FAZ secures 2 friendlies as part of Tokyo 2020 Olympics preps

FAZ secures 2 friendlies as part of Tokyo 2020 Olympics preps

By CHINOYI CHIPULU
As part of the preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games, the Football Associations of Zambia (FAZ) have secured two international friendlies among this weekend’s tie against South Africa.

The Copper Queens will also battle it out with Kenya this monthend.

According to a statement issued by FAZ communications manager Sydney Mungala, general secretary Adrian Kashala said the two friendlies will help the technical bench to gauge the preparedness of the team ahead of the Olympics.

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

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

“We are working hard to ensure that 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,” Kashala said.

He said FAZ is happy that the national league for women is already underway.

“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,” he said.

FAZ has drafted an intensive program for the Copper Queens that has already seen them play Chile in an international friendly that the team won 2-1 in December 2020 in Santiago.

The second scheduled match could not take place after some players tested positive for Covid-19.

The Copper Queens otherwise known as the Shepolopolo qualified to the Olympic Games for the first time in the history of Zambian football and became the second team since 1988 when the men’s team made the Olympics.