“We Are Here to Hunt”: Zambia Coach Sends Strong Warning to Nigeria Before WAFCON Quarterfinal
Zambia head coach Nora Hauptle has issued a bold statement ahead of Friday’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarterfinal clash with nine-time champions Nigeria.
Speaking at her pre-match press conference in Casablanca, Hauptle expressed respect for the Super Falcons’ dominance but insisted the Copper Queens are ready to hunt down the favourites.
“Of course, we are here to hunt,” Hauptle declared. “We respect that Nigeria is a several-time winner of this tournament. I think they are the favourites in this game, but I can assure you that my team is very hungry; we are here to hunt.”
The clash comes with high stakes, as Nigeria aims to maintain its record of reaching every WAFCON semifinal since the competition began, while Zambia is chasing back-to-back semifinal appearances after winning bronze in 2022.
A Golden Generation for Zambia
Hauptle described her side as a young, ambitious team brimming with talent and confidence:
“It’s a golden generation; we are a young squad. Even our top player, one of the top players in the world, Barbra Banda, is just 25 years old. I think the improvement of this team in the next year will be massive. I see a bright future for my team and I am pretty sure on Friday, in the knockout game, we will show you on the pitch.”
Stronger at the Back
Despite conceding four goals in the group stage, Hauptle says Zambia’s defence has improved significantly:
“Our evolution from the group stage was very good defensively wise. We conceded set pieces, two penalties, and two goals out of open play. In the third game, we kept a clean sheet. We are working on unity in defence—the compactness—because we know that with Nigeria, we don’t have to allow them. We have to keep the initiative defensively where we want to conquer the balls and win the balls. I am very proud of my team and how we’ve developed in this area.”
Friday’s quarterfinal promises a thrilling battle as Nigeria fights to protect its legacy and Zambia seeks to rewrite history once again.
