Copper Queens need tactical overhaul – Kaona

Respected sports administrator Mwembe Kaona says the Copper Queens’ early exit from the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers should force a national reflection on Zambia’s tactical approach. ‎ ‎Kaona said while Zambia’s women’s football has grown in talent, ambition…

Respected sports administrator Mwembe Kaona says the Copper Queens’ early exit from the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers should force a national reflection on Zambia’s tactical approach.
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‎Kaona said while Zambia’s women’s football has grown in talent, ambition and global presence, the tactical system has not kept pace.
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‎“Zambia’s women’s football has evolved in talent, ambition, and global presence, yet the tactical system guiding that talent has not kept pace. The result is a widening gap between what the Copper Queens are capable of and what their current tactical identity allows them to achieve,” he noted.
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‎Kaona argued that the team must move away from improvisation and emotional football to embrace a modern, structured and intelligent style.
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‎He cited the 6–0 victory over Egypt as proof of Zambia’s attacking potential, but said the loss to Nigeria, even after Nigeria went down to 10 players, exposed structural weaknesses.
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‎“Zambia’s long‑standing reliance on direct, transition‑heavy football has become predictable. Against disciplined opponents, hopeful long balls are easily neutralised, midfielders are bypassed, and the team loses control of the match tempo,” Kaona said.
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‎The administrator proposed that Zambia adopt a clearly defined ‘game model’ covering build-up, pressing, defending and chance creation. He said this would give the Copper Queens predictable patterns, clear roles, and consistency from youth to senior level.
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‎Kaona outlined key reforms: modernising build-up play, midfielders who can receive under pressure, full-backs who understand underlaps, using half-spaces as the main attacking corridor, coordinated pressing, controlled transitions, and designed set-piece routines.
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‎“Possession is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Against elite teams, Zambia must learn to slow the game down, stretch the pitch, and create chances through structured patterns rather than desperation,” Kaona said.
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‎He concluded that the WAFCON exit, while painful, could be a turning point if Zambia embraces tactical reform with seriousness and unity.
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‎“The Copper Queens are no longer outsiders. To match that expectation, Zambia must modernise its tactical identity. If Zambia embraces tactical reform… the Copper Queens will not only return stronger—they will redefine African women’s football.”