By Prince Chinma
Morocco and Zambia draw opening match of Wafcon 2024
Zambia captain Barbra Banda raises both hands in the air as she celebrates a goal with team-mate Racheal Kundananji
Image source,BackPage Pix
Image caption,
Barbra Banda (right) and Racheal Kundananji were both on the scoresheet for Zambia in the opening fixture of Wafcon 2024
Ian Williams
BBC Sport Africa, Olympic Stadium in Rabat
Published
5 July 2025
Two of Africa’s best players turned on the style as hosts Morocco struck late to earn themselves a 2-2 draw against Zambia in an open and entertaining first game of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon).
Both sides are viewed as among the favourites to lift the new Wafcon trophy in three weeks’ time, meaning this game was always likely to offer up a mouth-watering start to the tournament.
It was left to Morocco talisman Ghizlane Chebbak to rescue a point for her side, curling a long-range strike into the top corner in the 88th minute to spark wild celebrations among staff and players on the touchline.
Until that point it had looked as if Zambia captain Barbra Banda, the reigning African player of the year, would steal the headlines, having scored inside the first minute on what was her first ever Wafcon appearance.
The forward also set up Racheal Kundananji’s 27th-minute goal, which came after Ibtissam Jraidi’s penalty, awarded with the help of VAR, had briefly seen Morocco level.
The draw leaves Group A wide open, with the hosts’ next game coming against DR Congo in Rabat on Wednesday, the same day on which Zambia face Senegal in Mohammedia.
–BBC Sports
