Zambia's coach Nora Häuptle says her team is ready for a tough match against Nigeria in their second Group C game of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The match will take place at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat on Saturday.
The Copper Queens come into this game after a big 6-0 win over Egypt. This result puts them at the top of Group C on goal difference. On the other hand, Nigeria is coming off a surprising 3-2 loss to Malawi. If Zambia wins, they will move to the quarter-finals with a game left to play.
At a pre-match press conference, Häuptle said her team must change their strategy for this different challenge against the Super Falcons.
“Basically, we have a good mood in camp. Our opening game went well, but we also know that the game against Nigeria will be completely different, so we keep our feet on the ground.
“We need to adjust against Nigeria. We are good to go,” Häuptle said.
Häuptle noted that Zambia understands Nigeria’s need to win but emphasized that her team will not back down.
“We know that Nigeria needs to win this game or else they will be out. We are aware of Nigeria’s strength. We are fully prepared and expect Nigeria to come with their full stamina.
“We are focused on ourselves, we have a clear plan, and we discussed today how to execute our plan. My team Zambia never plays for a draw, our nature is to win. We can also surprise Nigeria. I have a lot of confidence in my team that we bring our performance on point. Every game is a challenge,” she said.
Zambia forward Rachael Kundananji shared her coach’s confidence. She said the team is excited about facing the defending champions.
“The morale in camp is high and the team is ready. We understand that it is not an easy task ahead. It will not be an easy game. We are looking forward to the game, and we want to do our best. The team is fully prepared for the game. Winning this match will be good for the team and the entire nation,” Kundananji said.
Zambia hopes to improve on their bronze medal finish from the last tournament in 2022, which was achieved under the late coach Bruce Mwape.
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