Black Queens face Atlas Lionesses in epic WAFCON semis today
Ghana’s Black Queens will be seeking a place in the finals of the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) today when they take on the hosts, the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco, at the Stade Olympique in Rabat.
A hostile crowd awaits head coach Lars Kim Björkegren’s side in this highly anticipated semi-final game, with both teams chasing maiden continental glory.
Should the Queens overcome the Moroccan hurdle, it would be their fourth time in the grand finals, while it would be the second for their opponents, who were runners-up in the last edition.
After faltering in their opening game against defending champions, South Africa by losing 2-0, and drawing 1-1 with Mali, the Queens reignited their campaign with a 4-1 thrashing of Tanzania, finishing second to Group C winners South Africa.
They then edged out North African side, Algeria, 4-2 on penalties after a tense goalless draw following extra time, setting up a date with the hosts today.
Historically, the Black Queens hold the edge over the Atlas Lionesses, having defeated them 3-0 in their only previous WAFCON meeting during the fourth edition in South Africa in the year 2000.
Since then, both sides have met four times in international friendlies. The Queens won the first two matches, 3-1 and 2-0, in November 2020 in Accra, while the Lions exacted revenge with a 2-0 victory in 2022 and a recent 1-0 win in a warm-up game ahead of this WAFCON in Rabat.
This sets the stage for an epic game today, with the momentum and belief for a final berth slightly tilting towards the hosts, especially if their performance at this tournament is anything to go by.
The Lions are ranked 60th in the world, six places ahead of the Queens. As hosts, they have grown in stature and have been clinical in front of goal, netting a tournament-high 10 goals in just four matches, while the Queens have recorded half of that.
The attacking firepower from skipper Ghizlane Chebbak and her strike partner, Ibtissam Jraïdi, will surely come alive today; however, it remains to be seen how Black Queens’ skipper, Portia Boakye, and Susan Duah, along with the backline, will handle this deadly duo in this tightly contested affair.
Head coach, Jorge Vilda, has yet to falter in his last eight games since April and has been in much better shape by comparison. His team is a heavy favourite to reach the finals on all fronts, especially with the backing of a passionate home crowd in Rabat.
Speaking ahead of the game, he expressed his belief that they need to be more efficient, create more scoring opportunities, and convert most of them if they are to smile at the end.
Coach Kim Björkegren on the other hand, acknowledged the pressure of playing against the hosts in front of a huge crowd but stated that from experience, home support can work both ways: “when you silence the crowd with a goal, that energy flips, and it can give my team a massive lift.”
