Nigeria was better than us - Zambian coach Häuptle admits Super Falcons were superior

Zambia women's national team head coach Nora Häuptle has admitted her side were thoroughly outclassed by Nigeria’s Super Falcons, following a humiliating 5-0 defeat in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Casablanca, Morocco.

The match, played at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, saw Nigeria dominate proceedings from start to finish, stamping their authority with a ruthless display that ended Zambia’s promising run in the tournament.

The Super Falcons wasted no time in asserting themselves, with Osinachi Ohale, Esther Okoronkwo, and Chinwendu Ihezuo each finding the back of the net before halftime. Zambia’s defence, previously unbreached during the group stage, looked completely overwhelmed by Nigeria’s pace and precision.

The second half saw Oluwatosin Demehin and Folashade Ijamilusi compound Zambia’s woes, sealing one of Nigeria’s most emphatic wins in recent WAFCON memory.

“Very clear loss for us,” Häuptle confessed during her post-match press conference.

He added, “Congratulations to Nigeria for the well-deserved victory. I think today we need to accept that Nigeria was better than us. None of us was on top today, not the players, not even me as coach.”

“We have also seen physically that we are not on the same level. We need to accept that and build again," he added.

With this dominant quarter-final performance, Nigeria have sent a strong message to the rest of the continent.

Now into the semi-finals, the Super Falcons are showing all the hallmarks of a side determined to claim a record-extending 10th WAFCON crown.