Copper Queens of Zambia head coach Nora Häuptle has criticised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) tie-break regulations following Zambia’s elimination from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Zambia bowed out of the tournament despite securing a 2-1 victory over Malawi on Wednesday night.
The Copper Queens finished level on points with Super Falcons of Nigeria and Malawi, with qualification determined by CAF’s tie-break rules based on goals scored in matches involving the three tied teams.
Under the regulations, Nigeria and Malawi progressed after scoring four and three goals respectively in the head-to-head matches, while Zambia scored two.
Speaking after the match, Häuptle expressed disappointment, saying it was frustrating for Zambia to be eliminated despite scoring the most goals in the tournament and conceding the fewest.
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She said the team had given its all throughout the competition and described the tie-break rules as being inconsistent with the spirit of the game.
“We scored the most goals in this group, and we conceded the least goals,” she was quoted by Lusaka Times. “Sometimes I’m not sure if we do the right things with this kind of regulations because it feels completely weird that we are out.”
Meanwhile, Copper Queens captain Barbra Banda said the team will learn from the disappointment and return stronger.
Striker Racheal Kundananji also expressed pride in the team’s performance, saying the players fought hard despite their early exit from the tournament.
5 Comments
How did they score the most goals? Moreover the rules were there before the tournament started. Why is she complaining? But Car should stop all these unpopular rules. Goals difference is easier to and widely acceptable. Up until the last minute even up to after the match ended. Zambia Nigeria and Malawi were not sure if they were thorough or not. Intact when they interviewed Zambia bands after the match…she was thanking God that her team manage to qualify from the group.
It’s a careless rule. This same rule cost us qualification for the 2006 World Cup. In FIFA’s eyes, Angola ranked above Nigeria simply because they beat us at home and held us to a draw in Kano. Our superior goal difference meant absolutely nothing.
Nigeria was arguably the best team in that group, but we woke up too late, and, frustratingly, we repeated the same mistake in the last World Cup qualifiers. When the margins are this thin, you pay for every point you carelessly throw away. Super Falcons were simply lucky. If Malawi and Zambia knew how the rule works, they would have probably settled for an agreed scoreline and Nigeria would have been out, even If we had beaten Egypt by 100-0.
How about the CAF’s archaic away goals rule (that both UEFA and FIFA had dumped) that gave Ghana the ticket ahead of Nigeria, although the tie was still balanced?
In a FIFA, UEFA, or CONCACAF game, it would have been termed a draw, followed by extra time and/or a penalty shootout.
CAF uses that rule to favor North Africans and other politically desperate nations that uses home antics to cheat. CAF is the only federation to hold on support to FIFA selling World Cup Right, CAF is a corrupt organization that shouldn’t surprise anyone. CAF is an occult of corruption and Evil Crew.
Yes had that game ended 4-3 trust me Caf will happily eliminate Nigeria, even if the match ends 3-2 with Zambia and Nigeria on same h2h aggregate the fair play red card against Zambia toward demehin would have been quoted. I believed that was why that red card was conjured because if demehin no even tackle the girl wey sabi dive them for still look for another way red card us. All the penalties against Egypt would have been medicine after death. Nigerian ladies should just be wary and take their battalion chances because nobody likes their dominance of female football in Africa except we Nigerians.