Black Queens before the game
GHANA’S BLACK Queens wrapped up their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) preparations with a hard-fought 3-1 defeat to Nigeria’s Super Falcons in an intense friendly match at the Lanoura Complex in Morocco on Sunday.
Despite a spirited performance, the Queens struggled to match the firepower of their West African rivals, who are considered one of the continent’s strongest sides.
The Super Falcons broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when Chiwendu Iheazou’s effort took a deflection to beat the Ghanaian goalkeeper. Star striker Asisat Oshoala made it 2-0 from the penalty spot ten minutes later.
Ghana came out stronger after the break, with Evelyn Badu finding the net only to have her goal ruled out for offside. Doris Boaduwaa came close to scoring with a near miss before Alice Kusi converted a late penalty in the 88th minute to give Ghana a consolation goal.
Coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren is expected to draw some encouragement from the performance, despite the result. The Black Queens had previously beaten Malawi and Benin in build-up matches and will aim to bounce back when the WAFCON kicks off on July 5.
Ghana is placed in Group C alongside defending champions South Africa, Mali, and Tanzania, while Nigeria will feature in Group A.
BY Wletsu Ransford