(Times of Zambia)- Zambia women’s team defender Margaret Belemu says joining Chinese Taiping Women’s Super League side, Shanghai Shengli, is a step in the right direction.
The overlapping defender reunites with the Copper Queens captain Barbra Banda, who is already on the books of the Chinese giants and will be hoping to settle immediately in the new league.
She signed a two-year deal.
This move comes over a year after the defender was initially scheduled to join the team but the deal broke down due to travel restrictions into China owing to the COVID-19.
She said in an interview that she was excited and looking forward to the new challenge.
“I’m excited about the move and I look forward to the new challenge ahead.
Football is the same but I will need to work hard and be disciplined in order to adapt to the team’s style of play. I promise to work extra hard and make the country proud,” Belemu said.
Belemu recently cut short her stay at Turkish Women’s Super League Hakkarigucu Sports Club, a club she joined in September last year on loan from Red Arrows. The former National Assembly player was part of the Copper Princesses squad that played at the Costa Rica 2014 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.
Belemu was also a valuable member of the Copper Queens squad that won silver, bronze, and gold medals at the 2019, 2021 and 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championships respectively.
The 25 year old was also vital in the road to making history by qualifying to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and also played at the tournament.
Belemu also played a key role as Zambia stunned Nigeria to win bronze at the Morocco 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.
