Copper Queens Fall to South Africa in Friendly as Coach Häuptle Reflects on Missed Opportunities
The Copper Queens suffered a 2-0 defeat to South Africa in a friendly match that exposed both promise and pitfalls in Zambia’s preparations for the upcoming WAFCON tournament. Speaking after the game, head coach Nora Häuptle acknowledged her team’s shortcomings, particularly in the final third, and emphasized the need for continued development and tactical sharpness.
“We controlled the first half quite well,” Häuptle said in her post-match interview. “Our mid-press and defensive transitions were good, but we just lacked that final danger in attack.”
The Swiss tactician, who has been at the helm of the Copper Queens for five months, lamented the team’s inability to capitalize on chances and the “childhood errors” that led to both South African goals, one from a set piece and the other from a long ball following a defensive lapse.
“We weren’t dangerous enough in front of goal,” she admitted. “We had some promising moves, especially towards the end when we pressed aggressively, but the final pass was often missing and we didn’t get enough players into the box.”
Häuptle also pointed out that some of the errors stemmed from inexperience, noting that younger players are still adjusting to the intensity and demands at this level. Despite the defeat, she remains optimistic about the team’s trajectory.
“We’re on a journey,” she said. “Now, it’s about recovering from this intense week. The international players will return to their clubs briefly before we regroup for a pre-camp in Zambia and another one internationally. We’ll have one more match before heading to Morocco, and I’m confident we’ll be ready for the opening game.”
With just under a month to go before the tournament kicks off, the Copper Queens will be aiming to sharpen their attack and cut out avoidable mistakes as they prepare to face Morocco in their opening match.
