GOALKEEPER Catherine Musonda has said she has what it takes to fill the void left by first choice goal minder Hazel Nali as Zambia nears it’s World Cup debut.
The Copper Queens camp has been rocked with some unwelcome distractions in the run up to the World Cup with the latest being Nali’s ‘Injury’, her revelations and replacement from the team.
Nali, an undisputed first choice was ruled out of the World Cup for a knee injury, something she has refused to accept, giving an revealing interview to journalist Augustine Mukoka where she felt she has been mistreated by the technical bench.
Back to the football side of things, the team is focused on next Sunday’s match against Japan as they aim to start the tournament with a win.
Musonda,who is likely to be the first choice in Nali’s absence, has said she will prove a lot of people wrong.
“It was difficult to accept [Nali’s injury] but we now need to accept. There is nothing we can do. I am the one who is there so I need to prove people wrong so that they trust me that even without Hazel, we can take Zambia far.
“I want to prove people wrong, they need to trust me, I need their support,” Musonda said in an interview with FAZ Media.
Musonda is not new to the national team and was part of the team at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which acted as the qualifier for the World Cup.
The dive happy keeper is also used to big occasions, she was between the sticks in Zambia’s 3-2 win over Germany recently.
“I need to have concentration, on the pitch and in training. The first game is very important. We need to work hard as a whole team,” Musonda said.
(Mwebantu, Sunday, 16th July, 2023)