Ghana controlled their destiny in a solid performance that saw them find the back of the net an impressive four times to make light work of Tanzania in a do or die matchup that ensured they booked a place to the quarterfinals of the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 in Morocco.
A standout 18 shots at goal, nine on target and four goals saw Kim Lars Björkegren’s side dance, ululate and hi-five each other at the full-time whistle in Berkane on Monday night.
The Black Queens, who felt that they dominated both their games against Ghana and Mali statistically despite amassing a point from a possible six in Group C, finally smelt the coffee. Their resilience, physicality and camaraderie were exceptional on the day.
“I am just really proud of the girls. Today, we followed the game plan a little bit more. I always believed that we would win this game and make it to the quarterfinals. I understand the impact of the result. It is the knockout stages, and we continue to take it one game at a time,” Björkegren said after the 4-1 win against Tanzania.
“Ghana missed the knockout stages the last time that they played [in 2018 at home] and we have now made it past the group stages. The result is very important to us. We shall take it all in now because the players deserve this. They showed that they can stay true to our style and win.”
Teamwork rules
A team that works together, stays together. Throughout their two games that not only tested their character and self-belief, the Black Queens fought for each other. No single time did a player attack another for a misplaced pass or a tackle that led to a goal or a warning or booking from the referee. They stood together in good and in bad.
It is this spirit that had Björkegren in high spirits at the halftime break when the score stood at 1-1 because he anticipated that his side would raise the tempo when the second half began.
Star player Evelyn Badu, who started the first two games, came off the bench after Princella Abudea and Princess Marfo were given the nod to start ahead of her. Her body language when she ran onto the pitch visibly showed that she was there to build on what the duo had done thus far. And it is that sisterhood that displayed the understanding of the objective for the team and the importance of the eventual result.
The suspended Doris Boaduwaa was on her feet the entire game in the stands supporting her teammates and almost lost her voice. In the end what mattered was the qualification.
“We played as a team and this has been important for us on and off the pitch,” Björkegren said as a tribute to his team who will face Algeria in the WAFCON 2024 quarterfinals on July 19 at 5pm (local time) at the Berkane Stadium in the Oriental Province of Morocco.
