ZESCO Ndola Girls head coach Florence Mwila says her team has no preference over who they face in the semifinals of the CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifiers after completing the group stage with a perfect record.
The Zambian champions booked top spot in Group A with nine points after defeating hosts and defending champions Gaborone United 2-0 in their final group-stage fixture on Monday.
ZESCO finished the group campaign unbeaten and will now wait for the conclusion of Group B to discover their semifinal opponents.
‘We Are Prepared for Anyone’
With Mamelodi Sundowns, Costa do Sol and Silver Strikers still competing for the two available semifinal places, Mwila says her team is not concerned about which opponent eventually comes their way.
“There’s no preferring any team. We play any team that comes. We are prepared,” Mwila said.
The ZESCO coach believes knockout football requires teams to be ready for whatever challenge is presented rather than choosing their preferred opponents.
“This is a tournament. You meet any opponent, so you just have to be prepared for the next opponent that you will face. We can’t say we want to play against this team.”
Mwila Impressed by Passing Game
Mwila was particularly pleased with the improvement in ZESCO’s combination play and passing during their victory over Gaborone United.
She said the players successfully demonstrated some of the footballing qualities the technical team had been looking for throughout the competition.
“Today we were playing split passes, combination plays. Those are the things that we would have loved to see in the previous games that we played,” she said.
The coach also praised her players for maintaining their composure during what she described as a tactical and high-intensity encounter.
“I think we did very well. The game was so tactical. It was a high-intensity match and kudos to the girls. They really accounted for themselves very well.”
Waiting for Group B
ZESCO’s nine-point haul puts them in a strong position heading into the knockout stage.
Group B remains open, with two-time COSAFA champions Mamelodi Sundowns, Mozambique’s Costa do Sol and Malawi debutants Silver Strikers all still in contention for the top two positions.
That means ZESCO could face any of the three sides in the semifinals.
For Mwila, however, the identity of the opponent will not change her team’s approach. The focus remains on preparation, discipline and maintaining the momentum that carried ZESCO through the group stage.
