President Nana Akufo-Addo has admitted that the Black Queens are deprived of the attention they deserve for their commendable performances compared to the Black Stars.
This follows the team’s current rise in form under Swiss trainer Nora Hauptle. Since taking over in January 2023, the Black Stars have only lost two games in 12 appearances and have secured qualification for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time since 2018.
“Mr. Speaker, the senior Women’s team the Black Queens who do not get half the attention the Black Stars get, have been performing quite creditably,” Akufo-Addo stated while delivering the State of the Nations Address.
“They had gone for ten (10) matches without any loss until last December’s when they lost narrowly to Namibia in Windhoek in the final qualifying round for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations,” he acknowledged.
Despite their recent successes, the team currently face an uphill battle in the Olympic Games qualifiers for Women’s Football. They will have to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Zambia on Wednesday, February 27 in Ndola as they aim to qualify for the first time.
“Even though they lost narrowly to Zambia in the first leg of the qualifiers for the 2024
Olympic Games, let us wish them well in the second leg to be played in Lusaka tomorrow, and hope they give us something to cheer about,” the president added urging massive support for the team.
- Akufo-Addo to unveil Presidential Policy on Football
- Black Queens bonus saga resolved ahead of crucial Olympic qualifier
Akufo-Addo’s claims of disparity in attention follow a recent row about delayed bonuses owed the team for three rounds of qualifiers for the WAFCON and the Olympic Games.
The Queens were only reportedly paid on the eve of their crucial first leg against Zambia in Accra after a public uproar.
Nora Hauptle is, however, optimistic about a turnaround in Zambia.
“I hope it will be a good football game tomorrow evening for us. We also have some plans for tomorrow and it’s our approach to stabilizing the game, we need to score and we are aware of that and we will see tomorrow on the pitch what our plans are,” she stated ahead of the game.
The much-anticipated clash comes off at the Levy Nwanawasa Sports Stadium in Ndola at 4:00 pm local time
The minority in parliament today were seen chanting "Woyɛ ya JM Bɛba" and the majority side of parliament responded to them, saying "Dead Goat"
#TV3GH #SONA2024 pic.twitter.com/BHMGUyti8Y— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) February 27, 2024