Haalubono eyes success as Young Queens prepare for Botswana

Zambia’s head coach, Charles Haalubono, has expressed confidence in his team’s performance as they prepare for tomorrow’s crucial encounter with Botswana, who lost their opening game against Mozambique, in the ongoing COSAFA U20 tournament.

The Young Queens play Botswana at 12:00 at UJ’s Soweto Campus.

With two dominant victories under their belt, Haalubono says his players’ morale is high, despite facing a limited preparation period.

“We didn’t have enough time to prepare, but we thank God that we have gotten these two wins, and the morale is high,” Haalubono said, reflecting on Zambia’s strong start.

The victories have set a positive tone, and now, as the team gears up for their next challenge, the Young Queens’ coach is focused on keeping that momentum going.

Ahead of the upcoming game against Botswana, Haalubono highlighted the importance of defensive resilience. Despite not having watched Botswana’s previous match against Mozambique, the coach said the impressive result, which suggested a well-rounded team capable of both scoring and defending effectively.

“I saw the scoreline, though I didn’t watch the match, but from the result, you could see that they are good, they are able to score, and they are able to defend,” Haalubono said.

“So, we try by all means to defend well to avoid conceding a goal, and we’ll also try to get goals.”

Defensively, Zambia has been solid so far in the tournament, with Haalubono emphasising the importance of this strength. “We have been working on the defensive part, and it has really worked for us. We have defended so well, and we’ve been able to get goals,” he said.

This balance between defensive stability and offensive efficiency has been the key to the team’s success.

However, Haalubono remains cautious about the team’s progress.

While victories are important, he said his players must remain grounded and focused. “It’s important to maintain momentum. Sometimes, after two victories, players may think they’ve already won the final, but that’s not the case. We must continue to encourage them, motivating them to treat each game with the seriousness it deserves.”

Looking ahead to the Botswana clash, Haalubono believes the Young Queens’ speed will be crucial. “We will try to play our game, using speed in front, and then we can get goals,” he said. Despite not having watched Botswana’s play in detail, the coach is confident that his team can impose their style of play and continue their quest for further success in the tournament.