Zambia turns to 3rd goalkeeper ahead of Spain at Women's World Cup

Zambia turns to 3rd goalkeeper ahead of Spain at Women’s World Cup

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Zambia’s goalkeeper Eunice Sakala waits to face a penalty kick from Japan’s Riko Ueki during the Women’s World Cup Group C soccer match between Zambia and Japan in Hamilton, New Zealand, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland )

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Referee Tess Olofsson shows a red card to Zambia’s goalkeeper Catherine Musonda during the Women’s World Cup Group C soccer match between Zambia and Japan in Hamilton, New Zealand, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland )

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Zambia’s goalkeeper Catherine Musonda takes the ball as Japan’s Mina Tanaka slides in during the Women’s World Cup Group C soccer match between Zambia and Japan in Hamilton, New Zealand, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland)

By ZACH ALLEN

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Zambia has only played one Women’s World Cup match and are already down to their third-string goalkeeper.

Hazel Nali was ruled out of the Women’s World Cup only days before Zambia’s tournament debut with a torn ACL.

She was replaced by relief goalkeeper Catherine Musonda, but the backup picked up her second yellow card — which essentially equals a red card and disqualification for the next match — when she tripped Japanese striker Riko Ueki in the waning moments of Zambia’s 5-0 tournament-opening loss.

Nali was a star for the Copper Queens with 18 career international appearances and the only Zambian keeper who plays outside the country.

So the job went to Eunice Sakala, who replaced Musonda ahead of Japan scorinh on the ensuing penalty kick and final whistle. Those final minutes were the international debut for the 21-year-old, who will have to carry the load Wednesday against Spain in Auckland.

The Spaniards are ranked sixth in the world, and fresh off a dominating 3-0 win over Costa Rica to start their tournament. They will be the toughest competition Sakala has ever seen — she is used playing in the lesser-talented Zambian Premier League.

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“There’s nothing that we can do apart from using the players that we’ve got,” Zambia coach Bruce Mwape said Tuesday. “We have Eunice as a replacement against Spain.”

Mwape wasn’t clear who would replace Sakala in the nightmare scenario Zambia needed a fourth keeper, but 18-year-old keeper Leticia Lungu was called up to the national team after Nali went down.

“There is also another (goalkeeper) who is on standby,” Mwape said. “She’ll be on the bench. If anything happens, we still have another goalkeeper to replace.”

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