Copper Queens head coach Nora Häuptle has refused to be drawn into the guessing game ahead of Zambia’s decisive WAFCON clash against DR Congo, firmly stating that she is not an oracle to predict how many goals her team will score but only a coach focused on executing a winning game plan.
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Speaking during the official pre-match press conference, Hauptle described DR Congo as a team that has shown some tactical flexibility and improvement during the tournament and cautioned that they will not go down without a fight.
“I am not an oracle, only an oracle can predict the future. I cannot tell you how many goals we will score. I can just repeat to tell you that we have to put a plan,” Häuptle said.
The Copper Queens are heading into the fixture on the back of a morale-boosting 3-2 victory over Senegal, which followed their tough opening draw against hosts Morocco.
However, despite DR Congo having been humiliated in the competition after suffering heavy defeats in their first two matches, Häuptle refused to take the game lightly.
“DR Congo has a mixture of technical and physical players, and they have shown that they can adapt during games. They will come with their own plan, and we must be ready,” she warned.
The Copper Queens coach also addressed the suspension of Grace Chanda, who will miss the DR Congo game after picking up her second yellow card of the tournament in the previous game.
She praised Chanda’s fighting spirit and noted that her absence is both a blow and an opportunity for her to rest and recover after a long injury layoff.
Reflecting on Zambia’s previous game against Senegal, Häuptle admitted that while her team displayed excellent attacking football for most of the match, they also lost focus towards the end.
Meanwhile, Copper Queens defender Lushomo Mweemba said the team is fully focused on the match despite DR Congo’s poor record in the tournament.
Mweemba acknowledged that DR Congo has conceded heavily in the previous games but noted that Zambia’s focus is not just on scoring goals, but also on maintaining defensive discipline.
“We can’t afford to concede carelessly. I can’t stand here and predict the number of goals we will score, but what I can say is that we are going all out. We have high standards for ourselves and we are determined to finish strong,” Mweemba said.
The Copper Queens will face DR Congo in the last match of group stages scheduled for tomorrow at 21:00 hours CAT at the El Bachir stadium in Mohammedia.
By George Musonda
Kalemba July 11, 2025
