Copper Queens coach, Nora Häuptle, has outlined her strategy to strengthen the team’s defense ahead of their upcoming friendly match against Malawi tomorrow at the REIZ Arena (formerly Woodlands Stadium). She emphasized that with the support of captain Barbra Banda, the focus will be on dominating possession and tightening the midfield.
Addressing the team’s defensive challenges in previous games, Häuptle shared: ” I would not say [the team’s defense has been] struggling, I think all the [departments] affect each other. For instance, improving the structure and distances in our possession play will make it easier to recover the ball when we lose it. So, possession and defense are linked. We are working on improving both today in training, with a focus on better ball retention and defense.”
Häuptle also noted the team’s progress in adopting defensive principles, including the “line of four” and holding tactics. She expressed satisfaction with how quickly the players have picked up these new concepts, despite their complexity. “It’s important to not overload the players. I want them to learn at a manageable pace, ‘panono panono’ but so far, I’m excited by how well we are progressing.”
“We worked in the week on the principles of line of four and holding. For me, the team picked it up very well, very quickly. It’s, of course, a lot of new things. I always need to take a lot of care. So I don’t overload the player. I always want so much, you know; I need to reduce myself a bit. But so far I’m curious that we are Vala,” she said as Barbra Banda finished the statement, “Vala Pakati,” implying the idea of closing spaces in the midfield.
READ MORE: Fazili explains why he said Banyana Banyana play better than Copper Queens
