WAFCON: Zambia eyes glued on top spot as they face DR Congo – Häuptle
- Dennis Kegengo
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Zambia head coach Nora Häuptle has stressed the importance of a strong finish against DR Congo to help the Copper Queens secure top spot in Group A at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Having kicked off their campaign with a frustrating 2-2 draw against hosts Morocco, the Copper Queens recovered to secure a 3-2 victory against Senegal which kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
They will now have one last chance to seal the last eight spot when they come up against a DR Congo side, whose qualification chances went up in smoke following their back-to-back Group C defeats – 4-0 against Senegal, and 4-2 against the Atlas Lionesses.
Despite their early elimination, Häuptle has admitted the Copper Queens will be bracing for a competitive final group match but stressed the importance of putting up a strong display to seal the top spot ahead of current leaders Morocco.
“We are ready. We want to finish top of the group. The match against DR Congo is an opportunity to conclude this first chapter in this competition,” said Häuptle.
“We have been able to observe the performance from the two games. We went from a very technical approach in Morocco to a very physical approach in Senegal. Now I think DR Congo is a bit mixed. They have a bit of a mixture with some technical players inside.”
On playing against a side that has no chance to qualify, the Swiss tactician said: “We expect them to do a good job. They should also be prepared for us. This is still a big game, it’s going to be the final clash of the group.”
The Copper Queens will be without midfielder Grace Chanda due to suspension, but Häuptle praised the midfielder’s contribution and hinted at the value of squad depth, particularly with defender Martha Tembo returning from her own earlier suspension.
“Grace is a fantastic footballer. She’s played more minutes here than she has at her club all year. So this break could help her recover a bit,” Häuptle explained. “I always think of the tournament as six games.
“That’s why we brought a full squad of 24 players; everyone has a role. Martha was coming on the pitch with full aggression. She was attacking very bravely, very strongly when she came in the game so I think we have a good adaptability in this squad.”
Zambia and DR Congo will face off at El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia on Saturday.
