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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.
