Shepolopolo coach Bruce Mwape is upbeat his team will qualify for the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup despite forcing a goalless home draw against Namibia in the first leg match of the final round on Wednesday.
Mwape said Zambia played well in the first leg match at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka despite failing to score.
He said Namibia frustrated Zambia by defending throughout the match.
Mwape told journalists in a post-match interview that Zambia must now beat Namibia in the return leg scheduled for South Africa in three days time to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup to be hosted by Morocco.
“Looking at the performance of our team, I think they did well. The Namibians came here of course to defend, you saw how they were defending,” Mwape said.
“Their back four normally were not pushing forward most of the team they were just guarding their area which made it difficult for our players to penetrate,” he said.
“Otherwise when we go there for the return match, we are still going with a positive mind that we should actually qualify. We are not going there to also go and defend. We are going there to play an open game so that we can get a good result,” Mwape said.
Namibia coach Woody Jacobs was pleased with the first leg result in Lusaka.
“For me most importantly is that we can go away from Zambia, Lusaka and have the second match relevant. We were aware of the fact we are playing a very formidable side and today was no joke at times we were having our lucky especially in the first half,” Jacobs said.
“I think second half we came back stronger and we contained them. We knew that we had to defend well, I mean football is not defending goals and scoring goals. Yes we couldn’t get on the score-sheet but I think with a lit bit of luck and a lit bit of incisiveness we can get in the back of the Zambian defence and in the back of the net. So we are looking forward to the second match,” he said.
The Africa Cup doubles as the African qualifiers to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand.
Ba Bruce, let those female coaches be in charge of games they are more fired up, you can be technical director.