Black Queens Stumble in WAFCON Opener
The Black Queens of Ghana kicked off their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2-0 defeat to reigning champions South Africa in Morocco on Monday.
Despite the scoreline, the Ghanaian side showed flashes of brilliance, especially in the opening stages of the game. For the first 30 minutes, the Black Queens looked the stronger team, pressing aggressively and creating promising chances until a controversial penalty swung the momentum.
South Africa capitalized from the spot and added a second shortly after, punishing a lapse in concentration by the Ghanaian defense.
Speaking after the match, head coach Kim Lars remained optimistic; “I’m really happy with the start of the game for us. I think we were the better team the first half hour until the penalty came,” Lars said. “After that, we gave them the opportunity to score another one."
While the result was disappointing, Coach Lars pointed to the positives in the performance, emphasizing the competitive nature of the clash; “we know we were playing against the previous champions, maybe the toughest game in the group. I think we did many, many good things. The stats were close. We actually had more shots and more corners.”
The defeat puts pressure on Ghana ahead of their second group game against Mali on Friday. However, with strong moments to build on, the Black Queens remain in the hunt for a playoff spot; “if we take the good things with us into the next two matches, then I’m pretty sure we’re going to make the play-offs,” Lars concluded.
The Black Queens will look to bounce back against Mali on Friday.
By; Victoria Nana Adwoa Kwofie
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