عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

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)
TT
TT

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.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

10-man Botafogo Wins its First Copa Libertadores Title

Players of Botafogo celebrate with the trophy after winning the CONMEBOL Libertadores final match between Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo, at the Estadio Mas Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 30 November 2024. EPA/Antonio Lacerda
Players of Botafogo celebrate with the trophy after winning the CONMEBOL Libertadores final match between Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo, at the Estadio Mas Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 30 November 2024. EPA/Antonio Lacerda
TT
TT

10-man Botafogo Wins its First Copa Libertadores Title

Players of Botafogo celebrate with the trophy after winning the CONMEBOL Libertadores final match between Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo, at the Estadio Mas Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 30 November 2024. EPA/Antonio Lacerda
Players of Botafogo celebrate with the trophy after winning the CONMEBOL Libertadores final match between Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo, at the Estadio Mas Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 30 November 2024. EPA/Antonio Lacerda

Botafogo overcame playing with 10 men to win its first Copa Libertadores title after beating fellow Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro 3-1 in the final at Monumental de Nunez Stadium on Saturday, The Associated Press reported.
After just 30 seconds, midfielder Gregore, one of Botafogo's best players, hit the head of Fausto Vera with his foot and was given a straight red card.
“It was so hard to have one less so early in a final. It was an unfortunate move,” Botafogo defender Alexander Barboza said. “But Gregore deserves this title as much as we do. We made history and that won’t ever be erased.”
Winger Luiz Henrique scored first in the 35th minute from close range, and was fouled for the penalty shot converted by Alex Telles in the 44th.
Eduardo Vargas headed Mineiro's only goal in the 46th while Junior Santos, the top scorer in the Copa Libertadores with 10 goals, capped Botafogo's historic night with the third in injury time.
Brazil was assured of a sixth consecutive Copa Libertadores title and its 24th in history, just one less than Argentina.
It was also the third straight title for Rio de Janeiro clubs, after Fluminense in 2023 and Flamengo in 2022.
Botafogo, the last of the four big Rio clubs to win the Copa Libertadores, earned prize money of $23 million and a spot in the Club World Cup in the United States next year.
Despite sensationally losing Gregore, Botafogo reset and Luiz Henrique scored the opener. Henrique surged on the right flank and crossed to Marlon Freitas, who took a shot that was deflected. Henrique was in the right place to strike through the legs of goalkeeper Ederson.
Henrique and Ederson met again near the end of the first half when the striker surprised the keeper on the edge of the box. A penalty was given after a video review and left back Telles calmly slotted the ball home.
Mineiro came back with a more aggressive formation in the second half and was rewarded when veteran Hulk took a corner kick and Vargas, who replaced midfielder Gustavo Scarpa during the break, didn’t even need to jump to score with his head.
Mineiro had more chances to equalize through Deyverson in the 53rd, Hulk in the 56th, and Vargas in the 86th and 88th, all from close range.
But it was Botafogo’s Júnior Santos, who was sidelined by injury during the Copa, who scored the last goal.
“We just failed at getting some advantage at having one more player than them,” tearful Mineiro defender Rodrigo Battaglia said. “It was a very hard day for all of us.”
Botafogo coach Arthur Jorge joined Portuguese compatriots Jorge Jesus (Flamengo, 2019) and Abel Ferreira (Palmeiras, 2020 and 2021) as European coaches with a Copa Libertadores title.
Mineiro's Gabriel Milito missed the chance to be the first Argentine to win the tournament with a Brazilian club.
Botafogo also gave American owner John Textor his biggest trophy yet. Textor has been subject to criticism after unproven allegations about match-fixing when Botafogo squandered a 13-point lead last year and missed out on the league title.
“I grew up in Florida, which has a great connection with South American nations. For me, this is bigger than everything in Europe,” Textor said after the game.
He added the players he signed for Botafogo were free to choose their own path.
“What we do is to bring players, ask them to win trophies and then we honor their path. No multi-club (network) does that, an owner that leaves the decision to the player,” Textor said.
Next week, his team could win its first Brazilian title since 1995.
“I saw this was a hungry group of players since I joined,” said Telles, who joined Botafogo in mid-year. “No one was speaking about what happened last year, it hurt us all. We knew we had a burden to carry, to give something back to our fans. Now we did it.”
Botafogo was relegated from the 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 investors.
Mineiro also has wealthy owner in Brazilian billionaire Rubens Menin, a construction mogul.