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Zambia's Copper Queens are ready for the second leg of their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier against Angola today in Ndola despite carrying a 6-0 advantage from the first leg. Speaking in a post-match interview on Monday, Copper Queens coach Bruce Mwape said that the team was ready and would not use the first-leg win to underrate their opponents. "The team is ready for the game. We played them in Angola and won 6-0, but it doesn't mean that we are trying to underrate them. We know they are serious, and they would like to win too," said Mwape. Zambia is just 90 minutes away from qualifying for the 2024 tournament to be hosted in Morocco after finishing third at the last tournament in 2022, which was also hosted in Morocco. The Copper Queens are eager to return to the tournament and go further than they did last time by reaching the final. However, before they can think of that, they need to finish what they started by protecting the lead they got from the first leg in Angola. With every member of the team fit and ready, coach Bruce Mwape is spoiled for choice in terms of who should play. However, his counterpart, Angola women's football team coach Sousa Gracia, said in a pre-match interview that his team would not change their strategy for today's game and would instead focus on enjoying the game. He said that the loss they suffered in the first leg was not down to the style of play but was due to the quality of the opponent. "I think we lost not because of the style of play but how good the opponent was. Changing the style of play in two days is going to do nothing," said Gracia. He was quick to reiterate his point that the heavy defeat suffered in the first leg was all about how far ahead Zambia is developed in women's football compared to Angola. "I think comparing Angola and Zambia in women's football, you are more developed than us," said Gracia. The two sides will lock horns today with kick-off at 18:00 hours. The match will be live on ZNBC TV1.
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