Zambia U20 Women’s National Team coach Charles Haalubono was full of praise for South Africa after the Young Copper Queens beat them 3-0.
Haalubono believes South Africa have a good team that is highly tactical and technically very good.
He revealed that the plan was to avoid a goal in the first half which the team managed to do.
“It was a good game, we played a highly tactical and technically good team. I always tell myself to learn when we are facing South Africa. I like how they play, the tactical approach of the team is very good. The way we planned was to not concede a goal in the first half and we thank God we managed to defend minus conceding a goal,” Haalubono told the ZamFoot Crew.
“We did not have enough time to train so we concentrated much on the defensive part. We told ourselves if we were able to defend and we have fast runners in front we can easily get a goal.”
“Like I said , When I watch South Africa it’s a learning curve for me, I spotted how they were moving the ball, and their captain is very good on getting second balls with very good distribution so I told the girls to quickly close her which they managed to do. We planned to mark using a middle block which really helped. Our main plan was just to cut the line of passing,” he added.
Haalubono was however not fully happy with his team as he felt some players still have to learn the roles and functions of their positions.
He made a three changes to the team among them the goalkeeper Mwila Mufunte getting a chance to play her first U20 game after graduating from the U17.
“The performance was good but we have to work on our tactical play, even when we were leading South Africa was looking more dangerous. We have to teach our players the roles and functions of their positions,” he said.
“We are trying to expose our players so we gave her a chance in a tough game. I told her this is how you develop so don’t be scared, the experienced one had the first game so this one is yours. We have to expose them to such kind of games.”
“As we were preparing the days were not enough, we concentrated much on the defensive part, we agreed to defend and use speed upfront. Tactically in getting goals we did not work much on it we are relying on speed so defensively it has worked for us, in getting goals we just capitalizing on the speed of our opponents,” he added.
Meanwhile his South Africa counterpart Maude Khumalo believes the match was a good test for her team.
“We knew it would be a final before the final because it was going to be a tactical game and also the intensity of the game was completely different from the first game. I enjoyed the game, it was a good test for us,” she said.
“We were playing a team like Zambia who have quality players. The only thing we wanted to maintain is go pound for pound with them by playing the ball on the ground and making them run. The players are learning and fault them anyhow,” he added.
Ruth Muwowo and Saliya Mwanza scored beautiful longe range strikes while Jessy Zulu converted from the penalty spot to seal a comfortable 3-0 win for Young Copper Queens on Wednesday afternoon.