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Zambia’s Copper Queens head coach Nora Häuptle has warned Nigeria’s Super Falcons that her team will not play for a draw in Saturday’s WAFCON Group C clash, completesports.com reports.
A Win Or Bust Clash For Super Falcons
Both the Super Falcons and Zambia will go weekend’s fixture with contrasting fortunes.
While the Zambians will go into the contest on the back of a 6-0 win against Egypt, the Super Falcons would have to bounce back from their shock 3-2 defeat to debutants Malawi.
The Super Falcons must now win their remaining two matches to boost their hopes of reaching next year’s World Cup.
‘Zambia Has Grown As A Team’
Speaking in her press conference on Friday, Häuptle said their team’s plan in any match is to win.
Also Read: WAFCON 2026: Malawi Loss Behind Us, Focus Now On Zambia — Nnadozie
“We never play for a draw, it’s not in our nature, we always chase for the lead in games. In the last edition we lost against Nigeria in the Quarterfinals, we learnt a lot in the game in our game against Egypt we were flexible so we can surprise Nigeria.
“We have grown as a team, this year we played in the FIFA series where we faced top 20 oppositions in the world to learn about high level games and the summary of those learnings makes us stronger and make us grow so I have a lot of confidence in my team.”
‘We Have A Clear Plan How To Face Nigeria’
Häuptle, however, expect the Super Falcons to come all out especially after their shock 3-2 loss to Malawi.
“After losing their first game I believe they will come all out otherwise they will lose out of the tournament,” she added. “We are aware of their strengths and are prepared for them, focus on ourselves, we have a clear plan how we want to approach them and we believe if we bring our plan and execute it we can challenge and beat Nigeria.”
Both teams clashed in the quarterfinals of the 2024 WAFCON with the Super Falcons winning 5-0.
By James Agberebi
2 Comments
You wonder why Nigeria isn’t playing in FIFA series, or are we not eligible? NFF and their nonchalance. This is a major reasons a lot of African teams are catching up with us so fast. We don’t even seem to realize we are always a game or two late in international competitions.
Yes “Papafem,” Poor preparations, lack of adequate training and few high profile pre-Wafcon test are the reasons for the poor showing against Malawi ladies. The SF players and their coaching crew underestimated the Malawians, who are a very fast, fit, pacy and well organised team.
Madugu should get the SF adequately and appropriately prepared against the Copper Queens of Zambia, who play almost the same pattern as the Scorchers of Malawi, who deploy the pacy Chawinga sisters, but this time the equally pacy duo of Barbra Banda and Rachael Chiwananga up front to terrorise slow and unfit defenders.
The slow and aging Ohale should give way to a younger fitter Centre back pairing to contain the 2 Zambian terrorists women tomorrow.
Same SF players, under same Coach Madugu, thrashed this same Zambian team about a year a goal by 5-0 and I cannot see why the same Super Falcons can’t beat them again tomorrow by say 3-1 in favour of the Super Falcons, if they get their acts together.