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Maidens, Princesses players test positive for covid-19

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed that seven players from both the National Under-20 female side, Black Princesses and the U-17 side, the Black Maidens, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Players, technical team members and officials of the two national teams underwent the mandatory COVID-19 test in line with the laid down protocols from FIFA and CAF for resumption of football before assembling in Cape Coast on August 14 to begin camping for their respective international assignments.

Communication Director at the GFA, Henry Asante Twum, who confirmed the news to Times Sports said the players in question have been isolated from the rest of the teams.

“The affected players have been taken to an isolation centre in Cape Coast for the mandatory 14-day quarantine after which they would take further tests to prove their negative status before re-joining the team.”

He noted that the Black Princesses will remain in camp although their 2021 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier with Guinea Bissau has been put on hold by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

According to him, it would not be prudent to allow them to go home after spending on testing, adding that they could come back with more cases – hence the decision to keep them in camp until a new date is communicated to them by CAF.

On the Black Maidens, he noted that the association was yet to received any contrary news from CAF,  hence their date with the Flamingoes of Nigeria later October or early November still holds, until otherwise communicated.

The Maidens thrashed the Young Lone Stars of Liberia 10-0 on aggregate to book a date with their Nigeria counterparts who also thumped Guinea 11-2 on aggregate.

The winner of the two-legged game will qualify for the 7th FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup tournament, scheduled for India next year between ‎February 17 to March 7, 2021.

BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY

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