Kanyemba Eyes Strong Finish as Copper Princesses Edge Ethiopia in World Cup Qualifier

05.07.2026 | Football DNA

Copper Princesses head coach Carol Kanyemba says Zambia still has plenty of work to do despite securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ethiopia in the first leg of the final round of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking after Saturday's win, Kanyemba welcomed the result but admitted the narrow margin means the tie is far from over ahead of the decisive return leg in Addis Ababa.

"Thanks to God for the victory, though it is a slim victory. We have a lot of work when we go away," Kanyemba said.

The coach stressed that Zambia's priority in Ethiopia will be to protect their advantage, adding that if circumstances require, the team would gladly settle for a goalless draw to secure qualification.

Kanyemba also revealed that her side had hoped to keep a clean sheet in the first leg but acknowledged that football can often produce unpredictable outcomes.

"The good part is we got the goals. Our aim was to keep a clean sheet but football being what it is, it had to happen like that," she said.

The visitors started brightly, enjoying the majority of possession in the opening stages, but Zambia remained defensively disciplined before taking the lead in the 14th minute. Elizabeth Mofya delivered a dangerous low cross into the box, where Precious Mwewa arrived at the right time to slot home the opener.

The goal boosted Zambia's confidence as they began to dominate possession and push Ethiopia deeper into their own half. However, the visitors remained organised and found an equaliser five minutes before halftime when Ayele Mihret curled a superb free-kick beyond goalkeeper Bukata Kakumbi.

The Copper Princesses responded positively after the break and restored their lead in the 54th minute. Substitute Phidah Mazuwa made an immediate impact by powering home a header from Faith Kaunda's inviting cross.

Both sides continued to create chances, with Zambia searching for a third goal while Ethiopia looked to grab another valuable away strike. Mihret almost struck again from a free-kick midway through the second half, but her effort narrowly missed the target.

Zambia held firm during the closing stages to secure a slender first-leg advantage ahead of next weekend's return fixture in Ethiopia. The Copper Princesses now need to avoid defeat to book their place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

A place at the global tournament would mark Zambia's third consecutive qualification after appearances in the 2024 and 2025 editions.

The 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup will be staged in Morocco from 17 October to 7 November, with 24 nations competing for the title.