July 04, (THEWILL) – The Zambia versus Cameroon rivalry game at the TotalEnergies 2021 may not have had a winner, but there was still plenty of drama in their goalless opening tie.
At the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, the Indomitable Lionesses were determined to get back at Zambia for denying the Cameroonians a spot at the Tokyo Olympics. There was early indication that it was going to be tough when both coaches, Gabriel Zabo for Cameroon and Bruce Mwape for Zambia, went with the attacking 4-3-3 formation.
The Cameroon trio of Michaela Abam, Ajara Nchout Njoya, and Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné started the game together for the first time since they all played at the 2019 World Cup in France. Grace Chanda led the Zambian attack while Rachael Zulu and Avell Chitundu advanced further than usual as the absence of the sensational Barbara Banda did not help the Zambians.
In her absence, the high expectations for goals in the match did not materialise, especially as the defences on both sides stood out. The Copper Queens were exceptionally resilient, putting their bodies in the way to stop the Cameroonians, every chance they got.
Both teams settled for a draw after the challenging opening game of the campaign and Zambia will now be seeking their first win when they play Tunisia in their next match and also Cameroon when they clash with Togo on July 6 in Casablanca.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
