2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations: Zambia crush Egypt 6-0
The hierarchy was respected. In their group C opener of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Zambia delivered a resounding blow to Egypt, thrashing them 6-0 on Tuesday evening at the Rabat Olympic Stadium.
The Copper Queens were already up 1-0 at halftime thanks to a goal from Nachula, then shifted gears after the break.
Barbara Banda: A goal machine in top form
The second half was all about the unforgettable Barbara Banda. The Orlando Pride striker completely dominated the match. She converted a penalty in the 61st minute, added another in the 63rd, then completed her hat-trick in the 88th minute. Not content with that, she rounded off the scoring with Zambia's sixth in stoppage time, 90+7.
Meanwhile, Eneless Phiri added the fifth goal in the 93rd minute after a brilliant assist from Banda herself. The Zambian captain was directly involved in five goals—a phenomenal performance by any standard!
A harsh blow for Egypt
This is one of the heaviest defeats in the history of the "Cleopatras" at the Africa Cup of Nations. Egypt were virtually absent from the contest. In their third tournament appearance, the Egyptian side suffered a crushing loss. With a dire goal difference, they must redouble their efforts if they hope to get back in contention.
As for Zambia, they've made the perfect start to the tournament and sent a powerful message to the rest of Group C. Now it's the defending champions' turn. Nigeria begin their campaign tonight at 20:00 GMT against Malawi.
Africa
13 July 2026
World Cup 2026
11 July 2026
