Botswana head coach Alex Malete says his team deserved more from their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Group B encounter against the Super Falcons of Nigeria.. The Mares fell to a 1-0 defeat against the nine-time champions at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca on Thursday night.. Malete’s side put a resolute performance in the game, and only conceded in the 90th minute.. It was Botswana’s second defeat in the competition having lost 1-0 to Algeria in their first game.. The young tactician said the defeat to Nigeria was painful.. “We deserved more, we deserved to get a point. It was all about showing the spirit we have in the team, and we have also shown a lot of quality,” Malete told a press conference.. “We take the positive, even though it was a painful loss. It was an opportunity for us to go through to the quarter-finals. When we came here, we all have the ambition of making it to the next round, and will stay positive following today’s performance.. Read Also:WAFCON 2024: Madugu Admits Super Falcons Not At Their Best Vs Botswana. “It is something we can build on, and it terms of playing our nex game, we are condemned to to win, and we will win, I’m sure.”. Tactics. The Mares sat back for the majority looking to hit the Super Falcons on the counter.. They managed two shots on target in the first half but were totally outplayed by the Super Falcons after the break.. Malete defended his tactics, and claimed it was the best way to approach the game.. “I think the way you approach a game depends on the circumstances . Whether it is your first game, is it a group stage game or the qualifiers . You can consider different factors too,” Malete added.. “You look at your opponent, what is it that they do so well, and their weaknesses. We played defensive, but also create opportunities as well. That was our game plan. It’s very painful that we lost.. “The plan was spot on, execution spot on. It’s a game that will help us in future.”. By Adeboye Amosu
