Black Queens book  Zambia date …After 5-0 demolishing of Benin in Olympic qualifiers

The Black Queens yesterday booked qualification to the third phase of qual­ifiers for the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic football tournament to face the Shepolopolo of Zambia.

This was after overcoming the Amazons of Benin 2-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium to round up a 5-0 aggregate victory.

Already in the driving seat following their 3-0 first-leg victory at the Stade de l’Amitié in Coto­nou last Friday with goals from Doris Boaduwaa and a brace from Gifty Assifuah, the Black Queens allowed their opponents to have a lion’s share of play and looked for openings to catch them on the break.

Striker Milhad Sadikou’s strike in the 13th minute was denied by the goalpost as the visitors went closer to fetching the opener.

The Queens began to draw out of their shells and began to look for openings in the play of the Amazons but found it tough as defenders Olivia Awononon and Kadidjath Karo Orou held Evelyn Badu and Doris Boaduwaa in check.

Back from recess, Nora Haup­tle’s side came alive and began to push forward with Alice Kusi putting Badu on in the 50th minute but she failed to connect home.

Six minutes later, Badu tested goalkeeper Alassane Sowiaratou with a shot from behind the box but the goalkeeper dealt with it.

On the 64th minute, Coach Hauptle introduced Grace Ache­ampong for Grace Asantewaa, and instantly, she made her presence felt as she received a pass in the box and hit a shot on target which was blocked by Sourahatou.

The rebound fell for Badu who drove home the opener in the 65th minute.

Pressing for the second goal, the Ghanaians came close on the 74th minute when skipper Portia Boakye hit a freekick from behind the box which came off the cross­bar.

A minute later, goal monger Badu grabbed her second goal of the game, racing past the backline to curl home beyond an onrushing Sowiaratou.

They held on to secure Coach Hauptle’s ninth victory in nine games since she assumed the reins of the team in January this year, scoring 32 goals and conceding none in all competitions.

They will now face one of Afri­ca’s heavyweights, Zambia, which automatically advanced to the third round due to their opponent Mali’s withdrawal.

Victory over the Zambians will see them move to the fourth and final round where they will face off in two home-and-away clashes, with one of the two golden tickets to the Olympic Games up for grabs.

Coach Hauptle will now turn her attention to overcoming Namibia in the Africa Cup of Nations quali­fiers this month.

Both legs would be honoured between November 23 and De­cember 5.

The post Black Queens book  Zambia date …After 5-0 demolishing of Benin in Olympic qualifiers appeared first on Ghanaian Times.

Read Full Story