Black Queens plot Russia demolition

GHANA’S senior female football team, Black Queens, got their campaign at the Pink Ladies Cup tournament off to a flying start and look poised to win the trophy at the end of the four-nation tournament.

After getting off to a flying start with a 4-0 win against Hong Kong in their opening game of the competition taking place in Dubai, the outcome of their remaining games will determine if their dream will be a reality.

Tomorrow, the Queens take on Russia in their second game and then play the final game against Tanzania on Friday, hoping to get the favourable results that would enable them accomplish their mission of winning the Pink Ladies Cup.

While the Queens focus on chasing glory, there is also an uneasy calm in camp  due to the security situation in parts of the Middle East, following the joint attack of the USA and Israel on Iran last Saturday.

However, the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has assuaged the concerns, emphasising that the Queens are very safe and nowhere near any threat, thus they will maintain their participation in the tournament.

“Everyone is safe and there is no threat to the team and the organisers have not said anything about putting the competition on hold; the Queens are preparing for their second game against Russia on Tuesday,” the General Secretary of the  FA, Prosper Harrison Addo, told the Graphic Sports in an interview yesterday.

With that assurance, the Queens can now focus on their assignment, as they come face to face with Russia tomorrow.

Russia, winners of the maiden Pink Ladies Cup in 2024, and runners-up last year, seem to have the experience and after beating Tanzania 4-1 in their game also last Saturday, look confident to edge out the Queens in their clash.

However, Coach Kim Lars Brokegren is equally confident his ladies have what it takes to edge out the Europeans and have a game plan to achieve that.

Against Hong Kong last Saturday, they got their goals from Princess Marfo (28th), Doris Boaduwaa(40th), Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (47th) and local star, Agejipina Zakaria (87th) who made her debut for the team.

Both the performance and results excited Coach Brokegren who believes they have hit the ground running. 

Cautious of the challenge that Russia, ranked 28th in the world pose, the Swedish is nonetheless confident his charges have what it takes to go past the Russians.

This will be the second time in association football that the two sides will be playing each other, the first in 1995 when they clashed in a similar invitational tournament in India, a match that the Queens won and eventually lift that trophy.

None of the players involved in tomorrow’s game have an idea about that 1995 clash, but each side will draw inspiration from that to either maintain or change the outcome, as they chart a course for their own history.

Having tried out the players including the six substitutes in the opening game, with history in sight and eyes on the trophy, Coach Brokegren is likely to deploy the same line-up he did, and this time, with a strategy that will keep the mission on course.