Former Zambia Women’s National Team striker Kape Saili has commented on the Copper Queens’ poor performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, claiming that the team lacked game management.
In Group B, the Copper Queens lost two games in a row, 3-0 to the USA and 6-5 to Australia, jeopardizing their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
Saili served as an assistant coach for the U-17 team, which won gold at the 2012 Zone 6 games and went on to compete in the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
She was also part of the technical bench as the Copper Queens qualified for the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and won silver with the U-20s at the 2019 Cosafa Women’s Championship.
“The team has done relatively well in the recent past. We have recorded a number of significant wins too. But I think [Sunday’s] outcome came as a result of complacency to some extent,” she said. “We lost concentration right when we needed to do more. The strikers did everything right but lapses in defence cost the team.”
“Also, we should have sealed the game right when the second half started. Game management was needed,” she added.
Saile on Copper Queens’ biggest problem
The former striker, who represented the Copper Queens from 2001 to 2003, urged the team to maintain tactical discipline in defence in the future.
“Our biggest problem right now is the defence and midfield,” she said. “If we can maintain tactical discipline and protect our lines and pockets, then we are good.
“Also we need to develop confidence in building up play and make sure we play through all the phases and not just focus on searching for babra banda.”
The Copper Queens face Germany tonight in St. Etienne to wrap up their Group B matches. The match will be the two teams’ second meeting, following last year’s friendly, in which Zambia defeated Germany 3-2, with Banda scoring a last-minute brace.
Zambia faces a daunting task tonight; they need to beat Germany by at least 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals if Australia loses to the USA, who have already qualified.
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