WAFCON (Q): Kundananji’s hat-trick hands Zambia advantage over Namibia

Stand-in skipper Rachel Kundananji’s hat-trick secured Zambia an away advantage over Namibia after Wednesday’s 4-2 victory in a 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier played in South Africa.

The Copper Queens were without injured captain Barbra Banda with Kundananji getting the armband in this final qualifying round, first leg match at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

The blonde-haired Bay FC forward proved to be a capable skipper as she led the scoring with the other goal coming from Rachel Nachula as Zambia led 2-0 at the break.

Kundananji put Zambia ahead with the simplest of tap-ins after meeting a ball whipped across the goal mouth from the right 12 minutes into the game.

Five minutes later, America-based midfielder Grace Chanda danced her way past markers on the right corner before floating a high ball which dipped at the far post where the Orlando Pride midfielder Nachula connected with her knee into the net.

How Namibia staged a fightback in the second half

However, the complexion of the game changed in the second half with the hosts’ fightback as Ivone Kooper halved the deficit for the Gladiators with a powerful drive that beat Zambia goalkeeper Hazel Nali in the 52^nd minute.

Thereafter, veteran Zenatha Coleman briefly wiped out the Copper Queens’ lead as she stepped forward to convert a penalty awarded after Nachula’s foul on Leena Alweendo a few minutes later.

It took Kundananji again to restore Zambia’s lead for her second goal of the afternoon then the 25-year-old completed her hat trick towards the end of the game.

Coach Nora Häuptle’s girls will host the return leg on Sunday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in the mining town of Ndola.