Ghana’s Black Queens coach Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo has shared her thoughts on Sunday morning’s international friendly with Japan.
According to the coach, the MS&AD Cup 2018 clash offers an “opportunity to prepare and strengthen” Ghana’s team for the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations they will be hosting later in the year.
“Sunday’s match will serve as an important match for Nadeshiko Japan ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, and I am expecting them to come out strong.
“We are also in preparation ahead of the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations scheduled to be held in Ghana. I think Nadeshiko Japan is in a great form right now, so we would like to use this opportunity to prepare and strengthen our team,” Tagoe-Quarcoo said.
She also admitted having no knowledge about the new-look Japan team her side will be facing.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to watch the recent matches of Nadeshiko Japan, but I watched the match between U-20 Japan Women’s National Team and U-20 Germany Women’s National Team. The Japanese side showed their dominance in that match, while displaying brilliant plays.”
Japan not above Ghana
Meanwhile, team captain Priscilla Okyere does not think the current crop of players featuring for the former world champions are better than the Black Queens.
“I have played against the U-17 Japan Women’s National Team in the quarterfinals of the Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2012. At that match, we won against Japan, so I don’t necessarily think that they are a team above us.
“It will be my first time facing them in the top flight Women’s National Team, but I hope to play like we did in 2012. I am looking forward to play well, and hopefully it will be a great match. I would like to utilise this opportunity to further develop my abilities and stay with the National Team as much as possible,” Okyere said.
The Nadeshiko Japan host the Black Queens on Sunday 1 April at Transcosmos Stadium in Nagasaki. Kickoff is at 4:30am.
