Botswana women’s head coach Alex Malete has expressed pride in his players despite their 1-0 defeat to tournament favourites Nigeria at the Women Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
The Mares came into the match at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium with the pressure of needing points after an opening loss. Although they eventually fell to a late goal, their organisation, fight, and tactical discipline kept Nigeria at bay for much of the match.
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“Even though we lost, I am very proud of this team,” Alex Malete said. “To go toe-to-toe with Nigeria and hold them scoreless for almost the entire match shows the progress we’ve made.”
Botswana frustrated the Super Falcons with a compact backline and swift transitions but lacked the cutting edge in the final third to turn their effort into goals. “We had moments, but we couldn’t convert them. Still, the spirit was there. They didn’t give up,” the coach added.
The loss leaves Botswana with slim qualification hopes ahead of their final group game. Malete, however, believes the performance against Nigeria can serve as motivation. “The fight we showed today must be repeated in our last group game. We’re not done yet.”
He also praised Nigeria’s team and congratulated them on reaching the quarter-finals. “They’re a class side with a lot of experience. But we matched them for long periods. That’s a positive sign for us.”
Botswana will play their final Group B match with belief, aiming to end the tournament with pride and possibly a chance at progression depending on other results.
