Ghana’s Black Queens coach, Bashir Hayford is full of praise for his players for the importance they have attached to the second group game against Mali.
The two West African nations will battle out at the Accra Sports Stadium today at 15:30 GMT.
The Black Queens, despite their profligacy in front of goal against Algeria’s Les Verts Dames, snatched all points with a solitary goal courtesy right-back Gladys Amfobea.
The victory in the opening game of the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament gave Ghana a huge advantage towards the quest to make it to the semifinals – another victory against Mali will serve as the icing on the cake.
Mali tasted a painful 2-1 defeat to Cameroon and will be heading into the second group game against Ghana knowing that a defeat could send them packing and that means Ghana will have a foot close to the semifinals.
Coach Bashir Hayford has been talking ahead of the game – galvanizing expectations of Ghanaians with some lively words from the camp.
“Morale in our camp is very high. The (players) have all realized the importance of the second match and solemnly they are all meditating as to how they will battle this one favorably and win at the end of it all. The players have all realized their minor mistakes they committed in the game against Algeria.
“We were all here when the second match was played between Cameroon and Mali and they watched the two opponents. We are taking them one after the other. After tomorrow, then we think about Friday’s match”.
Coach Bashir Hayford again labeled his side, Black Queens, as the best team in group A despite the notion out there that Cameroon based on their previous performance in the tournament are better compared to the Ghana.
“It is not beyond my girls and they are prepared to battle it out and there is no problem at all. Many have said that Cameroon is the best team in this group, but I see it differently. I am the coach of Ghana and my job is to prepare the team for any opposition, so I am not bothered about those comments.
“I don’t fear any of the remaining seven countries in the competition, irrespective of what the pundits say. Football is not played on paper; it’s played on the pitch so the pitch will determine who is better,” the Ghana coach noted.
