Black Queens coach, Nora Hauptle is disappointed in the team’s elimination from the qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Despite an impressive 3-3 draw against the Copper Queens in Ndola, following a 1-0 loss in the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium, Ghana’s hope was dashed with a 4-3 aggregate scoreline.
The match appeared destined for extra time until Barbra Banda, the Copper Queens’ captain, delivered a heartbreaking blow with a free-kick goal in the 96th minute, breaking the hears of the Queens despite Azumah Bugre’s earlier equalizer in the 65th minute.
Reflecting on the game, Hauptle said “We knew that we needed to score to get back into the game. Zambia had a good moment, a good transition, and they got it at once, and I think we started to play football.”
“We had good control of a lot of moments… In the last minute, my team was brave, my team was playing football and [they] were fighting. I cannot blame them. In the end, sometimes it’s hard” he added.
Despite the disappointment, Hauptle acknowledged Zambia’s performance.
“We would have loved to go into overtime [but] all in all, disappointing for us but kudos to Zambia” she said.
The elimination postpones Ghana’s female team’s aspirations for a first-ever Olympic Games appearance, redirecting their focus towards the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Morocco later this year.
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