Head Coach of Ghana’s Black Queens, Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo, will come to terms with the uncertain nature of football today in Cote d’Ivoire where her queens face the Super Falcons of Nigeria in a cagey WAFU Zone B women championship semi final clash.
The tie puts the Queens desire to retain the trophy they won at the maiden edition in Nigeria on the ropes as a result of the opposition they face.
Ghana overcame the Nigerians on penalties in the last edition at the same stage on their way to winning the title.
Again at the same stage, the two powerhouses of Africa women football will thrill fans today in a game the Nigerians, which finished top of Group B after a 2-0 win over Mali in their final group game, will go all out for revenge.
As the highest scoring side in the competition with 22 goals from the three games so far at the group stages of the tournament with just one against them, the Black Queens coach faces her biggest threat to the title defence.
Her quest for a rather final showdown with Nigeria clearly sums up her uneasiness ahead of the clash, considering that Nigeria has always been the superior side as far as the female football rivalry was concerned.
But behind those concerns, Qarcoo-Tagoe harbours some level of confidence going into the game and will only expect mother luck to smile on the team.
He told the media in Cote d’Ivoire yesterday that the team has responded well to the challenge and is ready to cause the biggest upset at the championship.
”We gave a good account of ourselves in the previous game and managed to win the first two matches against Senegal and Togo until the host held us to a draw. We wanted to play them (Nigeria) in the finals proper but if that chances has come, we will work towards it and give it our best shot.”
To reach the finals, the Queens would have to step up their game and convert their chances as well as playing more compact at the back where the free-scoring Falcons would surely threaten.
BY ANDREW NORTEY
