Botswana head coach Alex Malete is undaunted by the challenge of facing Nigeria's Super Falcons in their upcoming group clash at the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Despite the Mares' narrow 1-0 defeat to Algeria in their opening match, Malete remains optimistic about his team's chances of securing a positive result against the nine-time African champions.
The Super Falcons, meanwhile, made a strong start to the tournament with a convincing 3-0 win over Tunisia.
Malete believes Botswana has the potential to spring a surprise against the Super Falcons, who are considered one of the top contenders in the competition.
We need to stay composed and not get desperate when we face Nigeria,” Malete said.
“It’s important that we express ourselves by focusing on what we do best. At the same time, we must analyze Nigeria understand their strengths, identify their weaknesses, and use that to our advantage.”
The highly anticipated match is set to take place in Casablanca on Thursday, with both teams looking to make an impact in the tournament.
By Olujimi Dare Ogun