The Zambian Copper Queens have left for the COSAFA Women's Championship in South Africa as defending champions, with no foreign-based players in their squad. Green Buffaloes attacker Natasha Nanyangwe spoke to FAZ media before departure and said that the team is prepared for the challenge despite the pressure of being defending champions. "Going to the competition for the first time as defending champions comes with pressure, but we are prepared and handling the pressure well," Nanyangwe said. Zambia is coming from two victories in a back-to-back series against Morocco, which gave coach Bruce Mwape an opportunity to assess his local players. "The Morocco games were part of the preparations for the COSAFA tournament, that's why most local players were part of the team," Nanyangwe said. Nanyangwe urged the players who are going to the competition for the first time to stay focused and follow instructions. "I can urge them to remain focused and follow the coach's instructions because that's what we as players are supposed to do," she said. Zambia is in Group B with Mozambique, Angola, and Comoros. They will kick off their title defense against Mozambique on October 5th. "The group is tough, but we are prepared for the challenge," Nanyangwe said. "The game against Mozambique won't be easy, but we will make sure to secure all three points."