Sports

Halifax coach hails timing of NC Special Competition for women

Head Coach of Halifax Ladies FC, Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo has lauded the timing of the Normalisation Committee (NC) Special Competition for women football clubs across the country.

The competition which is expected to engage all 16 elite female clubs will kick start on Saturday and would help in the preparation of the national teams towards upcoming championships.

In May, Ghana’s Black Queens will be at the second edition of the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B Women’s Cup of Nations tournament in Cote d’Ivoire in defence of the title they won at the maiden edition.

The Queens are drawn in Group B alongside Mali, Nigeria, and Guinea.

The Black Queens would also participate in this year’s Africa Games (AG) women soccer competition from August 23 to September 3 in Rabat, Morocco.

“These are major competitions the Queens would need competitive matches to prepare for but in the absence of a running league, I believe the Special Competition would afford the national team coaches the chance to go round and select fit and talented players for the two competitions.

“Ghana has been drawn in a tough group for the WAFU tournament with one of the teams in the group currently in camp preparing for the World Cup. However, members of the Black Queens are in Ghana not playing any competitive football as a result of the documentary that exposed widespread corruption in our game,” she told the Times Sports.

“That, notwithstanding, we must be seen to be doing some kind of work to make our girls ready. Hopefully, the Special Competition will kick start without any hitch to enable the selectors begins assessment of the players.”

Madam Tagoe-Quarcoo said all the other 15 coaches handling the elite women clubs in the country are eagerly awaiting the start of the competition as it would afford them the opportunity to get back to what they love doing best.

“The NC competition is going to be very beneficial for the girls. Football has taken so many girls off the streets and out of negative social vices. Certainly, the resumption of the game will bring back those that have abandoned the game in search of other adventures for survival.”

Coach Tagoe-Quarcoo hinted that she has some new additions from Sea Lions and the Volta Region to augment the side.

Teams in the Northern sector have been divided into two groups of A and B.

Group A is made up of Kumasi-Based Fabulous Ladies, Ashtown Ladies, Kumasi Sports Academy and Supreme Ladies. In Group B are Ampem Darkoa Ladies, Northern Ladies, Pearlpia Ladies and Prisons Ladies.

The Southern sector has Elmina Sea Lions, Soccer Intellectuals, Hasaacas Ladies and LadyStrikers in Group C and Group D with Police Ladies, Immigration Ladies, Halifax Ladies and Samaria Ladies.

Winners and runners-up from each group will move into the quarter finals stage with the winners progressing to the semi-finals and finals.

According to the organisers, each club will receive GH₵75,000 as participation fee with quarter finalists set to get GH₵3,000 and semi-finalists GH₵5,000.

The prize for the overall winners would be announced later.

BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY

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