The Black Queens will hold a 3-0 advantage into tomorrow’s second leg clash of the first round of 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifiers against the Female Syli National of Guinea at the Accra Sports Stadium at 4pm.
The Queens began their quest for a maiden appearance at the quadrennial tournament on Friday with an emphatic 3-0 thrashing of the Guineans at the Stade General Lansaba Conte in Conakry.
Striker Vivian Adjei Konadu grabbed the opener on the 19th minute mark after capitalising on a goalkeeping error to smash home.
Doris Boaduwaa scored the second goal in the 27th minute after connecting a brilliant through ball from Jennifer Cudjoe.
Things got worse for the home team on the half-hour mark when they were reduced to 10 women after Camara Manet picked up a second yellow card.
They, however, held on to end the first half 2-0.
Back from the break, the Ghanaians continued to probe for more goals, but failed to score from the numerous chances that came their way.
They finally found the opening on 72 minutes when substitute, Mary Amponsah, set up Evelyn Badu with a tailor-made pass for her to slot home the third goal.
The Queens nearly made it four on the stroke of full time, but Dreamz Ladies’, skipper Stella Nyamekye, who was handed her senior debut, drove a powerful right-footed shot that cannoned off the upright.
The Ghanaians would hope to repeat the 2012 qualifier double over the same side, blowing them apart 7-1.
With the 3-0 away victory, it remains to be seen how many goals the Nora Häuptle-led Black Queens side will be able to score in front of their home crowd.
Häuptle would be in charge of her second official game and fifth game in all, which has seen her record four straight wins.
The winner of the two-legged tie would proceed to play the winner of the Guinea-Bissau and Benin game.
Meanwhile, Senegalese Referee, Fatoumata Sall Toure, has been appointed to officiate tomorrow’s game.
She will be assisted by compatriots Fatou Bintou Sene and Tabara Mbodji, with Faye Mame Coumba as the Fourth Official.
Ahoua Aya Irene from Cote d’Ivoire is the Referee Assessor, with Tall Zoungrana Sabine Marie Isabelle from Burkina Faso as the Match Commissioner.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
