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Zambia Head coach Nora Hauptle has emphasized that her team needs to be prepared to beat Nigeria if the Copper Queens are to achieve their goals at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria and Zambia are preparing to rekindle an increasing competition as the tournament starts in March, with both sides placed in Group C along with Egypt and Malawi.

The team has been recognized as among the toughest at the tournament, combining Africa’s top-performing women’s side with one of the continent’s rapidly emerging powerhouses.

The Super Falcons come as the reigning champions and ten-time victors of the tournament, securing their most recent victory in a commanding manner at the postponed 2024 event.

While heading towards that victory, Nigeria faced Zambia in the quarter-finals in Casablanca, with many anticipating a closely contested game.

Rather, the match was one-sided. Nigeria secured a 5-0 victory at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, with Osinachi Ohale scoring the first goal within two minutes. This outcome mirrored Nigeria’s 4-0 win against Zambia at the 2018 WAFCON.

Nevertheless, the Copper Queens have also demonstrated their ability to defeat the Super Falcons, particularly with a 1-0 victory in the third-place game during the 2022 competition.

This version of the WAFCON holds increased significance, as the four teams reaching the semi-finals have also secured spots in the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Hauptle has recognized the magnitude of the challenge her team faces but remains convinced that Zambia must meet it.

“The draw presented us with a challenging group. We will begin with Egypt, followed by Nigeria, and then our neighbors, Malawi,” said the Norwegian coach.

Although Nigeria are the main opponents, the coach emphasized that Zambia’s preparation needs to be more comprehensive.

“But for me, it’s not just about preparing against Nigeria, but it’s not our sole rival. Naturally, it’s an opponent we must be capable of defeating if we want to reach the semi-finals, qualify for the World Cup, and aim to win this competition,” she added.

So if you ask me whether we have the players, the answer is yes, we do have a team. Egypt presents a different challenge compared to Nigeria and our neighbors, Malawi, which focus more on quick transitions. These three teams play football in completely different ways. We need to be prepared for all levels of tactics from the opponents we face.

Nigeria is set to refine their preparations at the invitation-only WAFU Championship in Abidjan, where they will compete against Ghana, Senegal, and host nation Ivory Coast as they prepare for another challenging continental campaign.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).