The Copper Queens kicked off their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign in sensational fashion, demolishing Egypt 6-0 in their Group C opener on Tuesday.
Captain Barbra Banda stole the show with an incredible four-goal performance, becoming Zambia’s all-time leading scorer in WAFCON history.
Veteran striker Rachael Nachula, aged 40, also etched her name into the record books after scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 26th minute, making her one of the oldest players ever to score at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Following her goal, Nachula and her teammates paid an emotional tribute to the late Bruce Mwape, holding up a jersey bearing the former coach’s image in celebration.
Although Egypt kept Zambia at bay during the opening 20 minutes, the Copper Queens took complete control after Nachula’s opener and went into the halftime break leading 1-0.
The second half belonged to Barbra Banda.
The Orlando Pride forward doubled Zambia’s advantage from the penalty spot before adding a third just three minutes later after being set up by Prisca Chilufya.
Banda completed her hat-trick three minutes from full-time before Eneless Phiri added Zambia’s fifth goal in stoppage time.
The Copper Queens captain then rounded off a memorable night with her fourth goal, sealing a commanding 6-0 victory and sending a strong message to the rest of the tournament.
The emphatic win sees Zambia move to the top of Group C, boosting their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages with confidence.
