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At Waikato Stadium, Hamilton: Zambia 3 (Lushomo Mweemba 3’, Barbra Banda pen 31’, Racheal Kundananji 90+3’) Costa Rica 1 (Melissa Herrera 47’). HT: 2-0.
Group C points (games played): Japan 9 (3), Spain 6 (3), Zambia 3 (3), Costa Rica 0 (3).
Zambia celebrated their first victory at the FIFA Women’s World Cup after holding on to beat Costa Rica 3-1 in a frenetic clash in Hamilton on Monday night.
Both sides had been eliminated after opening losses to Japan and Spain in group C, but they still had the prize of a first World Cup win to play for in their first meeting.
It was nonetheless a dramatic contest full of emotion, VAR delays and strong tackling. Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi also took centre stage with some curious decisions and awarded Zambia a controversial penalty scored by Barbra Banda.
Banda’s strike was decisive. It was also a landmark goal because it was the 1000th in World Cup history.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Barbra Banda scoring the 1000th goal at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Still, World Cup debutantes Zambia made history in front of 8,117 at Waikato Stadium. It was their night to savour a famous result and Racheal Kundananji buried their third goal to clinch the points in added time.
Defender Lushomo Mweemba’s looping, hooked volley from Avell Chitundu’s third-minute corner was their first World Cup goal.
All of Zambia’s outfield players ran to celebrate with Mweemba. They did so again when Banda, their star forward and captain, converted a contentious penalty to make it 2-0 inside 31 minutes.
Karboubi instantly pointed to the spot and VAR wasn’t called on. There was minimal contact on Banda, but she went down after Alvarado’s outstretched arm knocked her slightly off balance in the act of shooting.
Banda said it was correct to award a penalty. Costa Rica coach Amelia Valverde did not, although she said the referee was not responsible for their third successive defeat that ensured they finished bottom of the group.
“I have doubts about why she didn’t go back to the replay. I have doubts about some of the decisions. Some were questionable. There were some yellow cards I’m not certain about,” Valverde said.
Abbie Parr/AP
Referee Bouchra Karboubi made some questionable decisions in Hamilton.
Zambia coach Bruce Mwape said everyone was happy in their camp after a famous win.
“It’s history that we’ve made. It’s our first World Cup appearance and despite losing our first two games, we managed to at least go back home with a win,” Mwape said.
“Few teams come to their first World Cup and win 3-1 like we did.”
Mweemba was outstanding at the heart of the African team’s defence and deserved her place in Zambian football history with her excellent side-footed finish for the first goal.
She needed to be solid because Zambia keeper Catherine Musonda was erratic and unpredictable, while her team-mates looked tired in the second half.
Juan Mendez/AP
Zambia won their first World Cup match in Hamilton.
Costa Rica were back in the match when Melissa Herrera bundled home their first goal of the tournament after Musonda’s misjudgement from a corner in the 47th minute.
Musonda was lucky to not concede a penalty minutes later for a rash challenge on Priscilla Chinchilla. It was nearly identical to the tackle which got her sent off for a second yellow card in their opening 5-0 loss to Japan in Hamilton.
However, a long VAR review showed there was an offside in the build-up, so there was no Costa Rica penalty.
Their second World Cup appearance ended with another defeat after wasting more opportunities to equalise. Their players were shattered at full-time. Their wait for a first win continues.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Melissa Herrera scored and had one goal disallowed for offside.
Las Ticas got on the wrong side of Karboubi and couldn’t live with Zambia’s physicality in the first half, but they improved dramatically after the break and were better on the ball.
The pace and power of the tireless Copper Queens had upset them. They were shut down while too idle in possession.
In defence, too, they were flustered, receiving three yellow cards inside the first 23 minutes. Karboubi was strict and often went straight to her pocket without giving players a warning.
Las Ticas were chasing the game after a sloppy start when they trailed to Mweemba’s historic goal. Their skipper, midfielder Katherine Alvarado, was also booked for a clumsy challenge on Kundananji.
Kundananji and Banda’s direct running forced Costa Rica’s shaky defence backwards.
Defenders Mariana Benavides and Valeria del Campo joined their captain in the referee’s notebook after more frustrated fouls.
They tried to play through Zambia with neat passing but couldn’t retain possession and assert control.
Zambia deserved their second goal when Banda scored from the disputed penalty.
Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Racheal Kundananji scored Zambia’s third goal.
It irked the Costa Ricans, who gathered in a heated huddle as the Zambians celebrated, and inspired a response before and after the break.
From set plays, María Paula Coto headed against the bar before Fabiola Villalobos and del Campo missed good chances.
Herrera scored early in the second half and found the net a second time, only for offside to correctly deny her.
Costa Rica couldn’t find a second and Zambia had the final say with Kundananji’s sweet finish in the final minutes from a counter-attack.
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