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Zambia made a dream start to their 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Egypt in their Group C opener on Tuesday, inspired by a sensational four-goal display from captain Barbra Banda.
The Copper Queens controlled the match from start to finish, showcasing their attacking quality and clinical finishing to reinforce their credentials as one of the strongest contenders for the continental title.
Racheal Nachula broke the deadlock in the 25th minute after calmly converting a penalty awarded when Egypt defender Aisha Mohamed brought down a Zambian player inside the area. Despite creating several opportunities during the opening half, Zambia had to settle for a narrow 1-0 lead at the interval.
The game completely changed after the restart as Banda took command of the contest with an outstanding individual performance.
The Orlando Pride striker doubled Zambia's advantage from the penalty spot in the 60th minute before adding her second goal of the evening just three minutes later after receiving an excellent pass from Prisca Chilufya.
Banda continued to torment Egypt's defence and completed her hat trick in the 87th minute. She was not done yet, finding the net once more during stoppage time after finishing off a move created by fellow forward Racheal Kundananji to complete her remarkable four-goal haul.
Evarine Phiri also joined the scoresheet in added time, scoring Zambia's fifth goal after being set up by Banda, who capped off an unforgettable evening with both goals and an assist.
The convincing scoreline reflected Zambia's complete control throughout the encounter. The Copper Queens enjoyed 63 percent possession, attempted 34 shots compared to Egypt's five, and created seven clear scoring opportunities. Egypt, by contrast, managed just a single touch inside Zambia's penalty area during the entire match.
The North Africans struggled to contain Zambia's pace, movement and relentless attacking pressure. Although Egypt made several substitutions during the second half in an effort to change the course of the game, they were unable to slow the Copper Queens, who continued to dominate until the final whistle.
The commanding victory gives Zambia the perfect platform as they begin their quest for the WAFCON title and sends a clear warning to the rest of the competition. With Banda in outstanding form and the team producing a complete performance, Zambia will head into their remaining group matches full of confidence.
For Egypt, the heavy defeat leaves little room for error, and they will need positive results in their remaining fixtures to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
