The Black Queens lost 1-0 to their Moroccan counterparts, the Atlas Lionesses, in a friendly match played on Friday, February 21.
An injury-time strike by Sakina Ouzraoui gave the hosts of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) the win over the Ghanaians at the Père Jégo Stadium in Casablanca.
After a goalless first half, the match, the first for Ghana coach Kim Lars Björkegren, was headed for a stalemate when the Moroccans made a late incursion into the backyard of the West Africans.
This paid off as Ouzraoui’s strike from outside the penalty box beat goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan Fiindib to break the deadlock in the depth of the game.
Friday’s match served as a preparatory one for both sides ahead of the 2024 WAFCON, which begins in barely five months.
Black Queens Head Coach Björkegren expressed satisfaction with his charges despite being disappointed with a loss in his first game in charge.
He noted that the loss was as a result of lack of luck.
“This is the worst feeling you could have as a coach and as a player when you work hard for almost a whole game and you deserve at least a draw result, you had the chances to actually win, and you had a little bit of unluck in the end, the ball bounced in your direction and they score when there is nothing left,” he said in his post-game interview.
“So, I’m really proud of the girls. They worked hard. There hasn’t been any trainings together. We just had one full training.”
In July’s WAFCON, hosts Morocco will play Zambia, Senegal and DR Congo in Group A while Ghana are pegged in Group C against South Africa, Mali and Tanzania.
The North Africans are set to continue their preparations with another friendly against Haiti on Sunday.
