Black Queens coach, Nora Hauptle, warned her team against complacency ahead of their Tuesday’s match against Namibia in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.
Despite holding a healthy 3-1 advantage, Hauptle believes that their opponents should not be underestimated. The match will be played in South Africa because Namibia don’t have a FIFA-approved stadium to host international games.
“In football, never, we have all in the bag,” she said. “We have enough experienced players now and they know what it is about staying humble in camp.”
Hauptle also highlighted the importance of video analysis and practice, revealing that the team had a productive session reviewing their performance in the first leg and working on specific areas to improve.
“We also had a good video analysis session with some details to adjust from the last game,” she explained. “we practice those elements on the pitch today.”
Ghana missed the last edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations but are now on the brink of qualifying for next year’s tournament.
With 10 consecutive wins under their belt, the Black Queens are heavy favourites to progress, largely thanks to the impressive form of their defence, which has only conceded one goal – an own goal – during their winning streak.
Hauptle’s strategy appears to be centred around maintaining a level head and avoiding any signs of complacency, as the Black Queens aim to book their ticket to the WAFCON finals.