Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023: Zambia end campaign with maiden win over Costa Rica

Zambia's Lushomo Mweemba celebrates the first goal of the match during the Women's World Cup Group C match between Costa Rica and Zambia in Hamilton. Photo / AP

Lushomo Mweemba scored the fastest goal at this year’s Women’s World Cup, and Barbra Banda added the 1,000th goal in tournament history, as tournament newcomer Zambia earned its first ever win with a 3-1 victory Costa Rica on Monday.

The victory sent Zambia home from its first World Cup on an emotional high. Both teams had already been eliminated from the knockout stage before the match.

The Copper Queens’ opening goal, the first in their history, came after just 2 minutes and 11 seconds off Avell Chitundu’s corner kick. Mweemba lofted a volley into the roof of the net over goalkeeper Daniela Solera.

Banda scored the milestone goal in the 31st minute on a penalty kick. The referee gave the penalty after the 23-year-old striker appeared to be taken down in the box by Katherine Alvarado.

The referee handed out five yellow cards and called a total of 30 fouls in the fast-paced match.

In the 47th minute, Melissa Herrera knocked a cross over the line with her chest for Costa Rica’s lone goal. Costa Rica later saw both a potential penalty and a goal taken away by offsides calls.

More than 8,000 spectators were at Waikato Stadium, which holds 18,009.

Costa Rica and Zambia would both like to get on the scoring board — and earn a Women’s World Cup victory — before departing the tournament following the Group C finale Monday in Hamilton, New Zealand.

The teams were eliminated with a match to spare. Zambia had a pair of blowout losses to Japan and Spain, while Costa Rica lost to the same two teams but my smaller margins. Zambia has given up 10 goals in two games, while Costa Rica has conceded five.

Neither team has scored in the tournament.

Costa Rica also appeared in the 2015 tournament, where it picked up two points, and has a shot at its first victory against Zambia. Costa Rica is ranked 41 places higher than Zambia in the FIFA world rankings.

“The desire is there, we have given everything,” Costa Rica coach Amelia Valverde said. “The team is clear in that we will try and get that victory. We are a better version of what we were.”