Zambia head coach Nora Hauptle has delivered a bold message ahead of her team’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarterfinal showdown against tournament giants Nigeria.
Hauptle declared her respect for nine-time WAFCON winners Nigeria but she insists the Copper Queens are “here to hunt” the Super Falcons.
The much-anticipated encounter, scheduled for Friday in Casablanca, will see former champions Nigeria take on a Zambia side brimming with belief and chasing back-to-back semifinal appearances.
Although the Super Falcons boast an intimidating record in this fixture — having beaten Zambia 6-0 in 2014 and 4-0 in 2018 — the tide shifted in 2022.
Zambia shocked Nigeria with a 1-0 win in the third-place playoff to claim their first-ever WAFCON medal.
Speaking at her pre-match press conference, Hauptle acknowledged Nigeria’s stature but insisted her players are not fazed by the challenge.
“Of course, we are here to hunt. We respect that Nigeria is a several-time winner of this tournament. I think they are the favourites in this game, but I can assure you that my team is very hungry; we are here to hunt.”
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Hauptle, who has overseen steady growth in the Zambian team, described the current squad as a “golden generation” and expressed confidence in their development and future potential.
“It’s a golden generation; we are a young squad. Even our top player, one of the top players in the world, Barbra Banda, is just 25 years old, so I think the improvement of this team in the next year will be massive.
“I see a bright future for my team and I am pretty sure on Friday, in the knockout game, we will show you on the pitch.”
While Zambia’s defence has come under scrutiny, having conceded four goals in three group matches, Hauptle believes her side is defensively more organised heading into this knockout clash.
“Our evolution from the group stage was very good defensively wise. We conceded set pieces, two penalties, and [two] goals out of open play. I think in the third game we kept a clean sheet. We are working on unity in defence—the compactness—because we know that with Nigeria, we don’t have to allow them.
“So we have to keep the initiative defense wise where we want to conquer the balls and win the balls. I am very proud of my team and how we’ve developed in this area.”
Friday’s clash presents Zambia with another opportunity to rewrite history. A win over Nigeria would take them into the WAFCON semifinals for the second consecutive edition.
For Nigeria, it’s about preserving a proud legacy, having reached every semifinal since the tournament’s inception.
With hunger, history, and high stakes colliding, all eyes will be on Casablanca when these two African powerhouses lock horns.