“Head coach of Zambia’s National Women’s Football Team, Nora Hauptle, has acknowledged her team’s abysmal performance in their 5-0 quarterfinal loss to Nigeria at the 2024 CAF Women’s AFCON in Morocco.

The defeat sent Zambia, one of the pre-tournament favorites, crashing out of the competition in embarrassing fashion.

In a post-game press conference, Hauptle attributed the loss to Nigeria’s superior performance, acknowledging that her team was outplayed in all aspects.

She said, “Very clear loss for us. Congratulations to Nigeria for the well-deserved victory. I think we need to accept that Nigeria was better than us.”

Hauptle took full responsibility for the loss, admitting that neither she nor her players performed at their best.

She said, “None of us has been on top. None of our players has been top, neither me as coach.”

Hauptle also acknowledged the physical disparity between the two teams, noting that Nigeria’s superior fitness level gave them a significant advantage.