WAFCON 2024: Botswana deserved more from Super Falcons loss – Malete

Botswana senior women’s national team head coach, Alex Basimanebotlhe Malete, says the Mares deserved more than a 1-0 loss to Nigeria’s Super Falcons on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

The coach said this in a post-match press conference at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) finals in Morocco.

“I thought we deserved more…. Today, it was more about showing the spirit we have in the team…we have to say positive. It is a painful loss,” he said.

The Super Falcons scored through super substitute Chinwendu Ihezu in the 88th minute at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca.

Despite the back-to-back defeats, Malete insisted that his charges gave it their all and were only undone by Nigeria’s quality in the Group B game. The Super Falcons booked their quarterfinal place.

The Mares coach said: “…but there is still an opportunity for us to go to the quarterfinals…I am still positive following today’s performance. It is something we can build on it in terms of how we are going to plan for our next match. We are forced to win [the next match] and we will win it.”

The Mares started the tournament with a 1-0 loss to Algeria at Père Jégo Stadium on Sunday, July 6 2025, in Casablanca. Botswana now date fellow opponents from Southern Africa, Tunisia.