By Edwin Mbewe
NDOLA-(MaraviPost)-The Copper Queens continued their impressive preparations for the 2026 Morocco Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after defeating Zimbabwe 3-0 in the final of the Four Nations Tournament at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Captain Rachael Kundananji inspired Zambia to a second Four Nations Tournament title in less than a year, once again leading from the front with a goal in the final.
The Bay FC striker, who also captained the Copper Queens during a similar tournament held in Malawi last year, wore the armband again in the absence of injured skipper Barbra Banda.
Despite missing a penalty in the 33rd minute, Kundananji quickly redeemed herself by opening the scoring seven minutes later.
The prolific forward found the back of the net in the 40th minute to give Zambia a deserved lead heading into the break.
The Copper Queens maintained their dominance in the second half, with Prisca Chilufya emerging as another standout performer.
The Angel City forward scored a brace, sealing an emphatic 3-0 victory for the hosts. Chilufya’s first goal came after she calmly tapped in a well-worked pass from Kundananji, while veteran striker Racheal Nachula provided the assist for the second.
Earlier in the day, Kenya secured third place in the tournament with a commanding 6-0 victory over Lesotho in the playoff match.
The Harambee Starlets had suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Zambia in the semi-finals.
The triumph provides another major boost for Zambia as preparations for the 2026 Morocco WAFCON enter a crucial stage.
The Copper Queens will head into the continental showpiece with growing confidence after another successful international tournament campaign.
Zambia have been drawn in Group C of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations alongside regional rivals Malawi’s Scorchers, African giants Nigeria, and Egypt.
The group is expected to be one of the tournament’s most competitive, with all four nations aiming for a place in the knockout stages.
Malawi’s preparations during the current FIFA international window saw the Scorchers lose 1-0 to Tanzania before playing out a goalless draw in the second friendly match.
With momentum firmly on their side, the Copper Queens will be hoping their latest silverware success is a sign of even greater achievements to come on the continental stage.
