Copper Queens Set for Botswana Clash as Coach Häuptle Praises Squad Spirit and Style Evolution

Zambia Women’s National Team head coach Nora Häuptle has expressed confidence and excitement ahead of Saturday’s showdown against Botswana in the opening fixture of the three-nations international series taking place in South Africa.

In an interview with FAZ Media, Häuptle described the current camp as a special moment, noting that it’s the first time all international players have been together since she took charge of the Copper Queens.

“It’s a privilege for me to play and train with such good players,” she said. “The quality on the pitch and the spirit among the players are absolutely amazing.”

The Copper Queens face Botswana’s Mares on Saturday, 31 May, before taking on hosts South Africa on 3 June in Pretoria.

Despite initial travel challenges, the full Zambian squad was in place by Thursday, allowing the team to have three solid training sessions in South Africa. Häuptle believes these have helped the team prepare well for Botswana, who recently played South Africa and narrowly lost 3-2.

“We take Botswana very seriously. They qualified for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and have some quality, especially in transition. We are aware of two or three very good players they have, and we know it’s always very motivating for them to face Zambia,” Häuptle noted.

The coach also touched on the team’s ongoing tactical evolution, revealing that the Copper Queens are transitioning from a more direct, long-ball approach to a possession-based style of play.

“We’ve implemented a new playing style, it takes time and can initially affect confidence. But we saw good output in China, and now, in our third international camp, you can feel the players are starting to understand and embrace the new style,” she said.

Looking forward to the match, Häuptle expects the Zambian fans to come out in full force.

“Even though we are away, we’ve already seen how strong the Zambian community is, like in China. So, Zambia Kuchalo again! We expect to have many fans, maybe even more than South Africa.”

The match against Botswana will serve as a key test of the team’s form and tactical progression as they build towards upcoming major tournaments.