Germany and Zambia have lessons to learn ahead of crunch clash

Germany will remember their shock defeat to Zambia last year, while the Copper Queens are still struggling with their own issues in conceding too many goals with progression on the line...

Zambia beat Germany when they last met ahead of the World Cup last year. Image: Associated Press

There’s plenty at stake across all six games to play out on the final day of Paris 2024 group stage action on Wednesday, but one of the more intriguing – and potentially enthralling – encounters takes place in Saint-Étienne where Germany face Zambia.

Former Olympic gold medallists Germany aren’t in their best spell of form, losing 3-0 to Iceland pre-tournament, and while things got off to a good start in France with the same result but in their favour against Australia, they come into the match against Zambia off the back of a 4-1 loss to the USA.

Zambia meanwhile have once again been the great entertainers, but as at the last Olympics three years ago, have nothing to show for it in terms of their points tally.

What looked like both an unassailable and impressive 5-2 lead against last year’s World Cup semi-finalists Australia turned into a devastating 6-5 loss, leaving the Copper Queens with no choice but to beat Germany on Wednesday night to stand any chance of progression.

With Australia having to face the USA, it’s not a complete stretch, but even third in the group won’t assure them of qualification until the other games have played out.

A win against Germany? For the lowest ranked team in the tournament?

Fanciful?

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Not quite. Because it did happen just over 12 months ago in a friendly before the World Cup, when Zambia ran out 3-2 winners.

But whatever plays out in what is anticipated to be a thrilling spectacle, both have to learn lessons from the past, because while both their attacks are stacked with quality, their defences have left much to be desired.

Zambia have actually outscored the Germans across the two games so far, but their nine goals conceded in two games is not far off the 10 conceded across the same amount of matches this time 12 months ago after back-to-back 5-0 defeats to Spain and Japan.

But with Barbra Banda – fresh from a third Olympics hat-trick – and Racheal Kundananji leading the attack, anything is possible, but they can’t keep having to score five to even have a sniff of getting points on the board.

Banda sparked some laughter pre-tournament when she stated she “can do better than that” when discussing her back-to-back hat-tricks in 2021, but who knows, perhaps a repeat could yet be on the cards.

“It’s not about me as an individual,” said the current NWSL top scorer. “I didn’t score those goals by myself and if we do well as a team, then I can challenge myself to do better than I did before.