Banda Brace Fires Zambia Past Senegal in Five-Goal WAFCON Thriller

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Zambia reignited their title ambitions at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Senegal in a pulsating Group A encounter on Wednesday at Stade El Bachir in Mohammedia.

After being held to a 2-2 draw by hosts Morocco in their opening game, the Copper Queens knew only a win would keep them on course for a strong group-stage finish — and they delivered, thanks to a sensational brace from captain Barbra Banda and a goal from star forward Racheal Kundananji.

Reigning African Women’s Footballer of the Year Barbra Banda

The game sprang to life almost immediately, with Senegal taking a shock lead inside five minutes. Nguenar Ndiaye, one of the standout performers in the Lionesses’ 4-0 win over DR Congo, latched onto Méta Kandé’s precise through ball and slotted past Ng’ambo Musole to silence the Zambian faithful.

But the response was swift. Banda, who had been relatively quiet in the opener, announced herself in the 12th minute with a thunderous finish into the top corner after a clever assist from Kundananji.

The match remained high-octane with both sides creating chances, but it was Zambia who seized control in the second half. Six minutes after the restart, Kundananji turned scorer, calmly finishing inside the box to give her side a 2-1 advantage.

Racheal Kundananji puts Zambia ahead

Banda struck again in the 73rd minute, reacting quickest to a loose ball from a corner to fire home her second and extend Zambia’s lead to 3-1. Her movement, strength, and eye for goal tormented the Senegalese defence all evening.

Senegal were not done yet. A clumsy foul on Ndiaye in the 80th minute handed the forward a chance from the spot, and she made no mistake, converting to make it 3-2 and setting up a tense finale.

The Lionesses of Senegal

The Lionesses poured forward in the closing minutes, earning a string of corners and forcing multiple saves from Musole, but Zambia held firm to claim all three points.

The win moves Zambia to four points from two games, keeping them firmly in the race for a quarter-final spot and reaffirming their status as one of the tournament favourites. Senegal, who had hoped to seal early qualification, will now face a must-win situation in their final group match.

For the Copper Queens, this was more than just a win — it was a statement performance that showcased their firepower, resilience, and hunger to go all the way.

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