Grace Chanda

Grace Chanda
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-06-11) 11 June 1997 (age 27)[1]
Place of birth Zambia
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Orlando Pride
Number 23
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2020 ZESCO United 26+ (86+)
2021 Red Arrows ? (35)
2022 BIIK Kazygurt ? (?)
2022–2024 Madrid CFF 28 (4)
2024– Orlando Pride 0 (0)
International career‡
2014 Zambia U17 3 (1)
2018– Zambia 31 (19)
Medal record
Representing  Zambia
Women's Africa Cup of Nations
Third place 2022 Morocco
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 June 2023

Grace Chanda (born 11 June 1997) is a Zambian professional football midfielder who plays for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Zambia national team.

Chanda previously played in her native Zambia with ZESCO United and the Red Arrows, as well as in Kazakhstan with BIIK Kazygurt and in Spain for Madrid CFF. She was one of three players shortlisted for African Women's Footballer of the Year in 2022.

Club career

Early years

In 2018, Chanda scored 86 goals in 26 games for ZESCO United.[2]

Ahead of the newly created FAZ Women's Super Division national championship in 2021, Chanda signed for Red Arrows.[3] Red Arrows finished second behind Green Buffaloes but individually Chanda won the golden boot for the 2021 season, scoring 35 goals in total, and was named FAZ Women's Player of the Year.[4]

BIIK Kazygurt, 2022

In March 2022, Chanda signed with BIIK Kazygurt of the Kazakhstani Championship.[5] On August 18, 2022, she scored a hat-trick on her UEFA Women's Champions League debut in a 5–1 victory over ŽNK Split during the 2022–23 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying stage.[2] She was the first Zambian women's footballer to do so.[2]

Madrid CFF, 2022–2024

On September 3, 2022, Chanda signed with Madrid CFF in Spain's top division Liga F on a two-year contract.[6] She made her debut on September 24 during a 3–1 win against FC Levante Las Planas.[7] In October, she scored a goal and provided an assist to help lift Madrid to a 4–0 win over Real Betis.[8][9] During the team's match against Atlético Madrid, she scored the equalizer goal after subbing in at the half resulting in a 1–1 draw.[9] She finished the 2022–23 season with three goals and two assists.[10] Madrid finished in fifth place.[11] Chanda spent the majority of the 2023–24 season sidelined having been taken ill at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in July 2023. She remained in hospital in New Zealand throughout August, eventually returning to light training with Madrid in September although did not return to playing until May 2024.[12]

Orlando Pride, 2024–

On May 30, 2024, Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League announced the signing of Chanda as a free agent until 2025 with an option for 2026. She was scheduled to join the club following the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics.[13] However, she was placed on the Season Ending Injury list in August after suffering a ruptured quadriceps tendon in her right leg while on international duty.[14] Orlando filed a grievance with FIFA against the Football Association of Zambia for "failing to provide a reasonable standard of care for player health and safety" after Chanda was asked to continue training and playing during Zambia's opening match of the Olympics while injured.[15]

International career

Chanda represented Zambia at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations and 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations.[1][16]

Chanda was the top goalscorer with eight goals at the 2020 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Olympic-qualifying tournament for Africa[17] and helped Zambia qualify for their first Olympics.[18]

Chanda was one of three players shortlisted for African Women's Footballer of the Year in 2022.[19]

On the eve of Zambia's FIFA Women's World Cup debut in July 2023, Chanda was ruled out of the tournament with illness.[20]

Personal life

Chanda notes American striker Alex Morgan as a football idol.[18]

Career statistics

International goals

Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1
 18 November 2018 Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana  Equatorial Guinea
1–0
5–0
 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations
2
 28 August 2019 Nkoloma Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia  Zimbabwe
2–0
 5–0 2020 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
3
3–0
4
4–0
5
 8 October 2019 Francistown Stadium, Francistown, Botswana  Botswana
1–0
 2–0
6
2–0
7
 8 November 2019 Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Kenya  Kenya
1–0
2–2
8
 5 March 2020 Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon  Cameroon
1–0
 2–3
9
2–2
10
 3 October 2021 Gelvandale Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa  Namibia 2–0 3–0 2021 COSAFA Women's Championship
11
 5 October 2021 Wolfson Stadium, Ibhayi, South Africa  Uganda 1–0 1–0
12
 7 October 2021  Tanzania 1–1 1–1 (2–3 p)
13
 20 October 2021 Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe, Malawi  Malawi 1–0 1–1 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualification
14
 18 June 2022 Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco  Morocco 1–1 1–1 Friendly
15
 9 July 2022 Stade Moulay Hassan, Rabat, Morocco  Togo 1–0 4–1 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations
16
 4–1
17
 15 February 2023 Gold City Sports Complex, Alanya, Turkey  North Macedonia 1–0 1–0 Friendly
18
 21 February 2023 Miracle Sports Complex, Alanya, Turkey  Uzbekistan 1–0 4–0 2023 Turkish Women's Cup
19
 30 June 2023 Tissot Arena, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland  Switzerland 1–1 3–3 Friendly

Honours

BIIK Kazygurt

Orlando Pride

Zambia

Individual

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Team Lists" (PDF). CAF. p. 8. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Grace Chanda nets hat-trick on UWCL debut…First Zambian". Zambian Football. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Grace Chanda targets a fantastic 2021". ZamFoot. 9 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Grace Chanda wins big at Women's Awards gala". ZamFoot. 26 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Grace Chanda starts life in Kazakhstan". ZamFoot. 28 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Grace Chanda joins Madrid CFF". Zambian Football. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Kundananji nets brace as Grace Chanda makes her debut". Zambian Football. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Grace Chanda opens goal account as Kundananji nets brace". Zambian Football. 16 October 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Grace Chanda comes from the bench to rescue a vital point for Madrid CFF". Zambian Football. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Grace Chanda". Playmaker Stats. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  11. ^ "2022/23 Primera División Femenina". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Chanda scores on Madrid CFF return". Zambia: News Diggers!. 14 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Orlando Pride signs Zambian international Grace Chanda". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  14. ^ "Orlando Pride midfielder Grace Chanda placed on season-ending injury list". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  15. ^ "Pride VP files FIFA grievance over Chanda injury". ESPN.com. 27 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Grace Chanda, Margaret Belemu make WAFCON best 11 - ZamFoot". 26 July 2022.
  17. ^ "Grace Chanda starts life in Kazakhstan". Zambian Football. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Chanda – The dream has not ended yet". CAF. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Grace Chanda thrilled by CAF Women's Player of the Year Award Nomination". FAZ TV. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Zambia suffer second blow ahead of World Cup debut". Reuters.
  21. ^ NWSL (7 October 2024). "Orlando Pride Claims 2024 NWSL Shield". NWSL. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Orlando Pride win 2024 NWSL Championship, bringing first professional, major league trophy to the City of Orlando". NWSL. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  23. ^ "CAF announces TotalEnergies Women's AFCON 2022 Best XI". CAF. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  24. ^ "IFFHS Women's CAF Team 2022". The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). 31 January 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.