A year after their Olympic debut, Zambia have reached their first Women’s World Cup, which they first tried to do in the mid-1990s.
Their qualification is all the more impressive given the absence of star striker Barbra Banda, who has missed the tournament over ‘gender eligibility’ issues.
Just seconds after keeping out Ndiaye Diakhate’s spot-kick, Nali stepped up herself to clinch the shootout 4-2 and send Zambia to their first Wafcon semi-final.
After a tight opening between sides playing a Wafcon knockout tie for the first time, Senegal took the lead when Nguenar Ndiaye ran in unmarked to head home skipper Mbayang Sow’s deep free-kick just after the hour.
Just as the Senegalese looked to be cruising, Zambia were handed a gift when goalkeeper Tenning Sene dropped Lushomo Mweemba’s long-range free-kick under no pressure to present Avell Chitundu with a sitter after 70 minutes.
Extra time was lively late on as Senegal’s Mama Diop had an opening in the final moments, before Zambia went close through Ochumba Lubandji’s fine strike and the impressive Mweemba’s header against the crossbar.
In the shootout, Senegal missed their first kick as Korka Fall shot wide before Sene thought she had made amends when denying Mweemba, only for Nali to take them into Monday’s semi-final against either South Africa or Tunisia.
The latter two meet in Thursday’s second quarter-final, with nine-time and defending champions Nigeria facing three-time runners-up Cameroon beforehand.
(BBC Sports)
