FOLLOWING her team’s 3-1 defeat against Ivory Coast on Tuesday night, Namibia’s Brave Gladiators coach Jacqui Shipanga said individual brilliance won the day for Ivory Coast in their 2014 CAF Women’s Championship encounter played at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Tuesday night.
Addressing a packed press conference after the match, Shipanga congratulated Ivory Coast for the victory.
“I want to congratulate Ivory Coast for a job well done. It was not an easy game and we lacked the strength to hold, while they scored two late goals to take their victory. They had individual brilliance too and their number 14, who just flew in from Russia, really made the difference for them tonight. She is strong and experienced.”
Shipanga however expressed disappointment with the result: “We planned to do our nation proud tonight and our plan was to win this match but obviously in football you don’t always get what you want. It was a difficult game with so much at stake.”
Ahead of the final group game against Nigeria on Friday, Shipanga said: “We will prepare for Nigeria knowing that we have to win and not rely on any other result to determine our destiny.”
Gladiators captain Ueri Kasaona echoed her coach’s comments: “We had a game plan that did not materialize today. It was a tough game and we are disappointed but we have to move on and plan for Friday against Nigeria,” said Kasaona.
The Gladiators will take on Nigeria at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, while Zambia play Ivory Coast at the Independence Stadiums – both games start at 17h00.