The Copper Queens will head into the three-nations tournament in Malawi without head coach Nora Hauptle, who has withdrawn after falling ill in her home country.
According to a statement from the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), her absence means assistant coach Charles Halubono will guide the squad throughout the competition in Lilongwe.
FAZ revealed that Hauptle had been due to join the team after traveling from Switzerland but communicated that she was unwell.
“Coach Nora was supposed to link up with the Copper Queens contingent that had left Lusaka for Lilongwe yesterday, but she informed us that she felt under the weather, making her pull out of the 3-nations tournament,” FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande explained.
With Hauptle unavailable, Halubono has been assigned full responsibility for technical decisions during the matches.
“Halubono has since been tasked to take charge of the lasses during the three-nations tournament,” Shepande added.
Zambia face Malawi on Saturday before wrapping up the tournament with a clash against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
FAZ has sent its well-wishes to Hauptle as the team continues its build-up to the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
