Häuptle Hails Copper Queens’ Spirit After Thrilling Comeback Win Over Senegal
Zambia’s Copper Queens head coach Nora Häuptle has praised her team’s mental strength and fighting spirit following their thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Senegal in a crucial Group A clash at the ongoing TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The victory, played out at El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia, revived Zambia’s quarterfinal hopes and marked their first-ever open-play win over Senegal in WAFCON history.
“The team showed very good character against Senegal and we were able to adjust. We equalised and then also went up 2-1,” said Häuptle. “We made a vow; we knew it was going to be a war, and we were going to fight. We prepared the players mentally for that.”
Zambia responded swiftly after conceding an early goal, displaying resilience and tactical flexibility throughout the encounter. Häuptle credited her players’ discipline and the pivotal role of the two holding midfielders in stabilizing play against Senegal’s long-ball tactics.
The Swiss coach also commended the leadership of senior players during the closing stages of the match, emphasizing their grit and defensive resolve.
“It was a lot of kukakata, we say in Zambia. Kukakata is to have this spirit, this grip, to burn and to defend,” Häuptle noted, highlighting the performance of captain Barbra Banda, who dropped deep to help the defense when Zambia was temporarily down a player.
“We showed and proved our values on the pitch—love, unity, and passion. Our identity was clearly shown, and in the end, it was a very deserved victory.”
Looking ahead to the final group match against DR Congo, Häuptle emphasized the need for maturity and collective focus, noting that a win would guarantee Zambia a spot in the quarterfinals.
“Team Zambia is always good at scoring 2–3 goals. We must add to the score line in front and put in the work behind,” she said. “It’s all in our hands. We need to focus on ourselves and perform well in the third game.”
With Zambia and Morocco tied on four points but separated by goal difference, Saturday’s final group fixtures will be decisive. The Copper Queens will face DR Congo, while Morocco takes on Senegal.
