Zambia Women’s National Team head coach Bruce Mwape says his team became complacent after leading 5-2 hence the capitulation to lose 6-5.
The Copper Queens gave away a 5-2 lead to lose 6-5 in their penultimate group match on Sunday evening at the hands of the Matildas.
Mwape described some of the goals conceded by the team as ‘silly’. He felt the team allowed too many crosses into the box which they failed to deal with.
“It’s very hard to explain that defeat because after leading 5-2 we had hope that we would carry the day but from the look of things the players became complacent, they could not concentrate, some of the goals we conceded I can say we’re silly goals, the penalty, we allowed too many crosses and set piece goals which should not be the case. Our defenders have no good height to defend the aerial balls but that should not be an excuse, we just failed to concentrate. I believe our players have learned something from the game,” he said.
“After conceding the sixth goal, we created about three sure chances, it is the finishing that was poor, otherwise that game would have ended in a draw, we just have to blame ourselves. That was supposed to be our game.”
Mwape believes the team still has a chance to progress to the next round as one of the best losers hence they should not lose hope.
“For the next game, we should not lose hope, there is still hope . If we win we will have three points and other teams as well. They are picking at least two best losers and we could fight for that,” he said.
Barbra Banda scored a first half hat-trick to become the first female football player to do so in Olympic Women’s Football history.
“She played well but towards the end of the game she also got tired and that also contributed to us failing to equalise but all in all she played well which is good for us as a team because this is her third hat-trick in two Olympic tournaments,” he said.
Banda netted a hat-trick while Rachel Kundananji chipped in with a brace but it was not enough as the Matildas staged a brilliant comeback to win the match 6-5.
The Copper Queens will next face Germany on Wednesday at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard in Saint Étienne.
OH PLEASE be Bluce just keep quiet. You are the most complacent coach ive ever seen. You were just seated after the girls scores the 4th goal. That was the time to rally behind them till the end to wake them up & not wait to blame them.
Just step down already. You have continuously proven that you are basically riding on the individual brilliance of the players.
We lost because of poor management & just like the Ghanian coach observed poor tactical awareness on your part.
Someone to push me as football analyst
All they had to do is park the bus when they were 3 goals up. They needed to employ a defensive strategy and counter when given the opportunity. It was the inept coach’s fault. The goal keeper needs to stick to net ball.
BaBruce stop passing the buck to the team. You and your bench should have made strategic changes at 5-2 to pack the midfield even it meant leaving one striker upfront. You cannot continue with 3 strikers when you’re already 3 goals clear
Be serious bamdala!!!
To some extent Bruce is right. The determination of Australia was too much. They continued just giving it there best and it ended in a win…
Ba coach you were there on the field of play, you couldn’t see that your players were very exhausted by the 70th minute. You needed to make 4 substitutions by that time, because the Matildas were very fast. Also you should have told your players to be clearing the ball away from the penalty area and also slow down the game by kicking the ball out of playing field whenever they could! And also advise the players to stop causing unnecessary infringements in the penalty area like Muchinga did yesterday. Why step on an opponent’s foot when the ball had already passed! That penalty could have been avoided by Muchinga and we could have won the game! Tell your players to also be passing to each other in the penalty area, like the Matildas were doing hence scored 4 goals in second half. Barbra Banda, Kundananji and others just want to score to make a name, please advise them to be passing to each other and make scoring easier!
We lost because we are not united. United we stand divided we fall. Football is a game of chance. Where there is unit God commands a blessing. God is not with us because we are divided. Don’t blame anyone, lets rally behind our girls and support them and God will help us win German. Stop blaming the coach.
The same crosses in the box are what Germany is bringing. Let’s see if the girls will deal with it hem better after your coaching drills.