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Zambia's Barbra Banda scores the 1000th goal in Women's World Cup history 

Goal scorer Zambia's Racheal Kundananji carries teammate Barbra Banda as Mary Wilombe, right, runs in as they celebrate their third goal during the Women's World Cup Group C soccer match between Costa Rica and Zambia in Hamilton, New Zealand, Monday, July 31, 2023. (AP)
Goal scorer Zambia's Racheal Kundananji carries teammate Barbra Banda as Mary Wilombe, right, runs in as they celebrate their third goal during the Women's World Cup Group C soccer match between Costa Rica and Zambia in Hamilton, New Zealand, Monday, July 31, 2023. (AP)
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Zambia's Barbra Banda scores the 1000th goal in Women's World Cup history 

Goal scorer Zambia's Racheal Kundananji carries teammate Barbra Banda as Mary Wilombe, right, runs in as they celebrate their third goal during the Women's World Cup Group C soccer match between Costa Rica and Zambia in Hamilton, New Zealand, Monday, July 31, 2023. (AP)
Goal scorer Zambia's Racheal Kundananji carries teammate Barbra Banda as Mary Wilombe, right, runs in as they celebrate their third goal during the Women's World Cup Group C soccer match between Costa Rica and Zambia in Hamilton, New Zealand, Monday, July 31, 2023. (AP)

Barbra Banda scored the 1,000th goal in Women’s World Cup history with a penalty kick in the 31st minute of Zambia's 3-1 win over Costa Rica on Monday.

The 23-year-old Zambia captain used a clever stutter in her run up to make goalkeeper Daniela Solera jump before sending her penalty to the left with ease. Soon after, FIFA posted its congratulations to Banda on social media.

“I was confident, but at the same time I was nervous,” Banda said of the penalty. “I just had to have courage because I was carrying thousands of people back home so it was an honor for me.”

The referee awarded the penalty after Banda appeared to be taken down in the six-yard box by an out-stretched Katherine Alvarado. Costa Rican players argued the call unsuccessfully.

This tournament has been the Women’s World Cup debut for Zambia, and the goal was its second ever, giving the Copper Queens a 2-0 lead.

Lushomo Mweemba scored the fastest goal of the tournament, the first in Zambia's history, 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.

FIFA has held a Women's World Cup every four years since 1991.

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Botafogo Faces Atletico Mineiro in Copa Libertadores Final

Soccer Football - Copa Libertadores - Final - Preview - Buenos Aires, Argentina - November 28, 2024 Botafogo president Durcesio Mello poses for a selfie ahead of the match REUTERS/Francisco Loureiro
Soccer Football - Copa Libertadores - Final - Preview - Buenos Aires, Argentina - November 28, 2024 Botafogo president Durcesio Mello poses for a selfie ahead of the match REUTERS/Francisco Loureiro
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Botafogo Faces Atletico Mineiro in Copa Libertadores Final

Soccer Football - Copa Libertadores - Final - Preview - Buenos Aires, Argentina - November 28, 2024 Botafogo president Durcesio Mello poses for a selfie ahead of the match REUTERS/Francisco Loureiro
Soccer Football - Copa Libertadores - Final - Preview - Buenos Aires, Argentina - November 28, 2024 Botafogo president Durcesio Mello poses for a selfie ahead of the match REUTERS/Francisco Loureiro

Brazilian team Botafogo could give owner John Textor his biggest soccer success yet if it beats Atletico Mineiro in the Copa Libertadores final on Saturday.
The American businessman also owns several European soccer teams but has come under widespread criticism from fans there because of financial difficulties and poor results. He's had his share of critics in Brazil, too, after making unproven allegations about match-fixing when Botafogo squandered a 13-point lead to miss out on the league title last year, The Associated Press reported.
Seeing Botafogo lift its first continental title would be a rare triumph.
Botafogo was relegated from the Brazilian league in 2020 but has risen to prominence again with Textor’s investment. He was part of a wave of foreign owners who came into Brazilian soccer after a 2021 law change paved the way for private investments.
Textor's Eagle Football also owns Crystal Palace in the Premier League, French club Lyon and RWD Molenbeek in Belgium.
At Botafogo, he has spent big on star signings such as Argentina midfielder Thiago Almada for $25 million and winger Luiz Henrique for $21 million. The team is also on the verge of winning the Brazilian league for the first time since 1995, after climbing back to the top of the table with a 3-1 win at Palmeiras on Tuesday. A victory at Internacional next week could clinch the domestic trophy for the Rio de Janeiro-based team.
The team's Portuguese coach Arthur Jorge, who arrived at the club in April, insisted he's not under any pressure going into the final.
"I am living an adventure that has been extraordinary,” Jorge said.
If Botafogo wins, Jorge would join his compatriots Jorge Jesus (Flamengo 2019) and Abel Ferreira (Palmeiras in 2020 and 2021) as European coaches with a Copa Libertadores title.
However, Botafogo will be without injured striker Júnior Santos, who is the competition’s leading with nine goals despite not having played since having surgery on his left leg in July, before the round of 16.
Atletico Mineiro also has wealthy owner in Brazilian billionaire Rubens Menin, a construction mogul. The Belo Horizonte-based club won its first and only Copa Libertadores title in 2013 after a penalty shootout against Paraguay’s Olimpia.
And while Botafogo is on a high, Mineiro has not won any of its last 10 matches since beating River Plate in the first leg of the Libertadores semifinals. It eliminated defending champion Fluminense of Brazil in the quarterfinals.
Mineiro will rely on veteran striker Hulk, 38, and his younger attacking partner Paulinho — on loan from Bayer Leverkusen — to break down Botafogo’s defense. Hulk has four assists in this edition of the Copa Liberadores.
The club also counts on the experience of midfielder Gustavo Scarpa and center forward Deyverson, who both won the competition with Palmeiras in 2021.
“We are going to Buenos Aires with the faith and conviction that we will win,” said coach Gabriel Milito, who can become the first Argentine to win the trophy with a Brazilian team. “We have to play the final with a lot of courage, with a lot of confidence. We know that we have to neutralize their offensive game very well and we also have to generate danger through ours.”
Whoever wins at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires will give Brazil its sixth consecutive Copa Libertadores title and the 24th in history, just one less than host Argentina.
Dozens of buses left Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and other cities in Brazil early in the week filled with fans going to watch the match in the Argentine capital.
The winner gets prize money of $23 million and a spot in the Club World Cup in the United States next year.