What Green Buffaloes needs to do to be ready for the inaugural Women’s CAF Champions League

AARON MUBANGA writes THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) last month announced that it will introduce a Women’s Champions League in 2021. The format and other details about the tournament are however yet to be communicated. With Such a huge declaration from CAF, Women’s teams around the continent should begin to prepare themselves both financially and technically. Zambian clubs in particular have a lot of work to do if they are to stand a chance to actually be contenders or even go all the way to clinch the lucrative continental showpiece. Looking at the current ‘big dogs’ in Zambian Women’s football, Green Buffaloes are Zambia’s best bet at doing something worthwhile in the competition. With Zambia U-20 Women’s national team boss Charles Haalubono at the helm and assisted by Copper Queens assistant coach Beauty Mwamba and U-17 Women’s national team assistant coach Carol Kanyemba, The soldiers have a formidable technical bench. In the last six years under the leadership of Col Priscilla Katoba as President of the club, They have dominated the Zambian scene winning six Lusaka FAZ Women’s league titles, the inaugural Women’s Charity shield in 2019 and the inaugural Women’s National Championship in 2020. Despite the Zambia Army-sponsored side being littered with Copper Queens stars like Mary Mwakapila, Hazel Nali, Martha Tembo, Anita Mulenga, Lushomo Mweemba, and Irene Lungu, They still have a lot of work to do in order to be ready to make a mark on the continent. Following the departure of Rachel Nachula to Spanish side Real Zaragoza CFF, Buffaloes may need to get another striker to fill the gap that the 2019 COSAFA Women’s tournament golden boot winner has left. Maylan Mulenga is a brilliant forward but she is still young. Buffaloes could try and secure a loan deal for the 2020 Olympics Qualification tournament Africa, Top goalscorer Grace Chanda. She has the natural ability to score goals for fun and has a lot of international experience. Another striker with international experience they could try to get on loan for the CAF Inter-clubs competition is veteran Noria Sosala of Indeni Roses. Mary Mwakapila and Irene Lungu are very creative and extremely good going forward but their defensive capabilities are limited. And when you look around without doubt the best defensive midfielder is Rhoda Chileshe of Indeni Roses. Another loan deal maybe is necessary since Indeni is unlikely to sell arguably their best player. In goal, they have one of the best goalkeepers on the continent, Hazel Natasha Nali, with good back up goalkeepers hence it safe to say that department is in safe hands. The defence is also very good and can hold up well against the top African female clubs. However, It is not automatic that Green Buffaloes will be the team to represent Zambia in the Competition as clubs like Indeni Roses, Red Arrows, YASA, and even Nkwazi Queens will not just fold and let Buffaloes go through. The Soldiers need to work even harder to fend off competition in order to participate in the first-ever CAF Women’s Champions League. I – ZAMFOOT The Sun