The winning streak continues for coach Nora Hauptle as the Black Queens clinched a 2-0 victory over Benin on Tuesday at the Accra Sports Stadium, securing their place in the third round of the 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament.
Ghana will now face Zambia in the upcoming round, with Zambia progressing via a walkover after Mali failed to show up. While the Black Queens ultimately secured a comfortable 5-0 aggregate victory, their first-half performance left room for improvement, falling short of the high standards set by the Swiss tactician since her appointment in January.
In the first half, the Black Queens appeared to lack the usual swagger they’ve displayed in recent matches, leading to a surprising failure to score. This was indeed a surprise given their impressive record of 27 goals in their last eight games. However, they maintained their defensive solidity by not conceding, preserving their record of not conceding under Hauptle.
Coach Hauptle was visibly frustrated whenever her players lost the ball in promising areas or failed to execute their ideas. Despite her evident disappointment, she demonstrated strong management skills, encouraging the players to remain composed and not rush their play.
The halftime team talk seemed to have a positive impact, as the Black Queens returned with renewed intent and played impressively. They finally broke the deadlock in the 65th minute through Evelyn Badu’s superb finish inside the box, rewarding their dominant performance.
Ten minutes later, the Black Queens capitalised on an own goal, sealing a 2-0 victory in front of a smaller-than-expected crowd, given the stadium’s 40,000-seater capacity and the free entry for the game.
With their rich form, the Black Queens are expected to conquer the challenge posed by Zambia in the next round, setting the stage for a potential meeting with Tunisia or Morocco in the final qualifying round. The winner of the final round will secure a spot in the Paris Olympic Games, and Nora Hauptle is determined to make history for Ghana by qualifying for the Olympics for the first time.