“The Scoreboard Is in Our Hands” – Häuptle Ahead of DR Congo Clash

Copper Queens head coach Nora Häuptle says her team is ready and focused ahead of their decisive final Group A clash against DR Congo at the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2024.

Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Häuptle expressed confidence in her team’s preparation while acknowledging the unique challenge posed by DR Congo.

“We are ready. We have been able to observe DR Congo’s performance from their two games. They have a bit of a mixture, technical players and physical presence. They’ve shown evolution during the tournament, so we expect them to do a good job,” she said.

Reflecting on Zambia’s last outing, a thrilling 3-2 win over Senegal, Häuptle noted both the positives and the areas needing improvement.

“We had a very good hour against Senegal, creating many chances. We should have closed the game earlier. In the last 15 minutes, we lost some organisation, so we’ve been very clear with the players in our analysis,” Häuptle stated.

She emphasised that maintaining control is key. “The scoreboard is all in our hands. If we have the initiative, it’s up to us. That’s the most important thing.”

Häuptle also addressed team selection, especially the absence of star forward Grace Chanda, who is suspended after accumulating two yellow cards.

“Grace is a fantastic footballer. She had been out for over a year due to medical reasons, so it’s been heartwarming seeing her play again. Now she’s suspended, but maybe it’s also a good moment for her to recover after playing more minutes than she did all year at club level,” Häuptle explained.

Martha Tembo’s return from suspension was also highlighted. “Martha came in with full aggression and strength in the last game. We chose this squad knowing we’d need depth, it’s six games in a short time.”

Asked about expectations for the DR Congo match, Häuptle remained measured: “I’m not an oracle. I cannot predict how many goals we will score. Our focus is on putting the right players in combination, executing our smart game plan, and staying focused on our key performance indicators.”

She stressed that her team isn’t distracted by outside noise. “We don’t read too much media. We don’t watch too much left or right. We know we are strong, so we keep focusing on us.”

The Copper Queens currently sit in a strong position in Group A and a positive result against DR Congo would secure their progression to the knockout stages.

“Everything is open in this tournament,” Häuptle concluded. “Everyone can beat everyone. But for us, it’s about staying true to our plan, goals and nothing else.”

Zambia faces DR Congo in their final group match tomorrow, with kick-off set for 18:00 CAT.