Shepolopolo suffered Olympic heartbreak on Tuesday when a resolute ten-man Zambia lost 1-0 to Brazil in their final Group F match in Saitama.
The result saw Shepolopolo fail to attain the 4 points they needed to stand a chance of earning one of the two best third place quarterfinal berths in the twelve-team, three-group Olympic women’s football competition.
Shepolopolo suffered two setbacks in the 13th minute of the match when a red card and injury dented their game plan.
Defender Lushomo Mweemba was sent off for a foul on goal-bound Brazilian striker Ludmila.
Ludmila’s momentum then left goalkeeper Hazel Nali injured in the subsequent duel for the ball.
Play resumed in the 19th minute when coach Bruce Mwape made some tactical changes starting with Ngambo Musole replacing Nali while defender Vast Phiri came on for forward Avell Chitundu.
But Musole’s immediate task after replacing Nali was to collect the ball from the back of her net on the restart in the 19th minute when Andressa blasted-in a rocketing free-kick.
Brazil then found it hard to penetrate a solid Shepolopolo who collectively defended for the remaining 90 minutes producing a catenaccio display that would have left an enthusiast of the Italian game impressed.
Shepolopolo exit the Olympics on 1 point in Group F in third place, six points behind Brazil and Holland who advanced to the quarterfinals on 7 points.
China bowed out bottom on 1 point after an 8-2 loss to Holland.
GIRLS WELL DONE , WE NEED TO INVEST ALOT IN THE TEAM AND ALL GAMES AS DID KK AND THAT ITS TIME
TO STOP SOME PEOPLE WHO PERSONALISING THE ATHLETICS AS A PERSONAL BUSINESS
Well done shepolopolo even as you come back .To lose to Brazil by narrow margin is
An achievement.good luck next time.
great attempt
A loss is a loss. I am disappointed in you
@Moto This is not the male Brazillian team whom you are obviously judging them by. They dont have their men’s reputation. In women’s soccer the giants are the US, Japan and Germany. Holland are also tough
Well done Copper queens.
@Chilatagive credit where it is due. Let me give you some notes on this Brazil national team.They are currently ranked 7th by FIFA . They have proffesional palyers in major womens leagues around the world. Players like Fomiga , Marta have been at the Olympics several times. Fomiga has made it 7 olympics in row. Brazil has so far had 32 matches at the Olympics. Talk about the Copper queens?
Had it not been the bias by the Chinese refere, Zambia would have beaten Brazil to meet Canada.
The Olympics football committee was biased against Zambia for chosing a Chinese refere in the Match against Brazil. Didn’t they know that China was in the same group as Zambia?
Well done girls.