Zambia coach Nora Häuptle has confirmed star forward Barbra Banda is nursing a hamstring injury ahead of next month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Banda missed Zambia’s Four Nations match against Kenya at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, which the Copper Queens won 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
She sat out of training before the game.
“Barbra had a strain on the hamstring while playing for Orlando Pride in the US. It was not a relegation to the bench,” Häuptle told journalists after the match.
“We assessed her, did an MRI and started treatment when she arrived in camp. This is not the moment to risk a top player like Barbra. If we make errors on her it can worsen the injury.”
Häuptle is optimistic Banda will recover in time. “Don’t worry about her, she will be fine toward WAFCON. She should recover well in the next one or two weeks.”
Fridah Mukoma also missed the Kenya game through injury. “For Fridah, we need to assess her properly. I don’t think it is very serious, but I cannot release medical details now,” Häuptle said.
Zambia face Zimbabwe in Tuesday evening’s Four Nations final.
Zimbabwe beat Lesotho 3-1 earlier in the day.
Barbra Banda in Hamstring Scare Ahead of WAFCON
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Awee sure, in Zambia we do not have real journalists.
When the coach was talking about Barbara and Mukoma, why didn’t any one of you so called journalists ask her as to why the greatest star in our women team right now, ENELESS PHIRI isn’t present in camp despite being called up? If Zambia is to get past the quarter final at WAFCON, its this young girl who can make it happen and yet the coach and FAZ seem too blind to see it.
So wanting to know what’s happening to her is on every women loving Zambian lips. But as usual, the journalist we have in Zambia lack initiative because to many its not a calling, its just a job to go and sit twiiii in those press conferences as long as iyakabunga ilengila pa month-end. Its very annoying.
100% totally agree with you Star Girl and I’m sure women football loving will agree with you too.
Eneless is the Alex Chola vision of women’s footballer. She has the intelligence, pace, dribbling skills abd above all she is the most unselfish front liner I have ever come across.. She miles far better than all our current national team players bar for Barbara.
So, yes indeed, her not being in the team needs urgent answers from the coach and FAZ and media people should be asking this question.
What ever issues may be there between her and FAZ must be foregone. We need to start looking at the bigger picture on the nation’s interest, there is World Cup place at stake here