Copper Queens head coach Nora Hauptle has declared that her team’s strength in transition play will be a key weapon against Senegal in their second Group A match at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Swiss tactician confidently described Zambia as the best transition team in the tournament.
“I think we can say we are the best transition team in this tournament. So we gonna hurt them in those moments,” she told a press conference.
Following a frustrating 2-2 draw against hosts Morocco in the opening match on Saturday, Hauptle says her team is recovering well and is ready to face Senegal in their second Group A match tomorrow.
“We are recovering from the opening game. We had some good video analysis of the game against Morocco. Stats-wise, we should have won the game; our performance was very good. We gave Morocco possession, but we controlled all the other parts of the game. We defended very well, we were good in transition, and we created a lot of chances,” Hauptle said during a press conference.
Zambia and Senegal will face off in Rabat in a repeat of their 2022 WAFCON quarterfinal clash, which ended 1-1 before Zambia triumphed on post-match penalties.
Hauptle added that Senegal will present a completely different challenge from Morocco and is expecting a more physical encounter.
“Against Senegal, of course, we have to adjust our possession so that we can be more on the ball. We are excited to play against Senegal tomorrow.”
Hauptle continued: “It’s a completely different game because Senegal has different attributes and skills from Morocco, so we are expecting a physically robust opponent. Our players are ready to overcome the physicality. Against Morocco, we showed that we were very smart in our defensive game plan; I am sure we are going to adjust our right screw against Senegal.”
Senegal, who top Group A with three points after a commanding 4-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be looking to seal qualification to the quarterfinals with another win. Meanwhile, Zambia will be aiming for their first group stage victory to stay in contention.
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