By Kalumiana Kalumiana
Nora Hauptle’s search for her first competitive win in charge of Zambia will be tested this evening when they face Senegal in their penultimate Group A match at the 2025 WAFCON in Morocco.
Kickoff for the Zambia versus Senegal game will be at 18h00 Zambian time in Mohammedia.
Hauptle goes into her 8th match in charge with just two wins both of which have been recorded in friendly games.
The Swiss-born coach traces her last victory to three games ago on April 8 in a 4-3 victory over Uzbekistan at a tournament in China.
Since then, Zambia has drawn two and lost one game.
One of those draws was as recent as last Friday when Zambia finished 2-2 against WAFCON hosts Morocco in their opening Group A match on July 5, when Hauptle’s side were denied a win after the Atlas Lionesses snatched a last-minute equaliser in Rabat.
The pressure heading into tonight’s game is that Senegal leads Group A following a handsome 4-0 victory over DR Congo on July 6, a result that puts Zambia and Morocco under stress to close the two-point gap with a game to ago after Wednesdays games.
Morocco will play DR Congo at 20h00 this evening.
Zambia defender Lushomo Mweemba described today’s fixture as crucial for the team to push for a top two finish.
“It will be a tough game because Senegal won and has 3 points so now we have to win this game, ” Mweemba said.
” We have played them before, so we know their style of play and so we have to go into the game very well prepared to take them on.”
But the pressure is also on Senegal, who are battling to convince themselves that Sunday’s win over Congo was more than a fluke but also a statement to be taken as a serious factor at 2025 WAFCON.
Senegal also has a score to settle with Zambia, who ended their 2022 WAFCON semi-final hopes with a 4-2 post-match penalty win following a 1-1quarterfinal result.
But Zambia now has Barbara Banda and Rachael Kundananji, who both missed the 2022 tournament due to CAF sanctions.
Kundananji and Banda have already made a statement with a goal each in the opening game against Morocco.
On Wednesday, the duo has the responsibility to inspire Zambia to a vital win and finally give coach Hauptle a smile that should go some way to ease the latent pressure of her wait for a debut competitive victory.
