Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren has singled out midfielder Grace Asantewaa for special praise following Ghana’s hard-fought victory over Algeria in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Asantewaa was instrumental in Ghana’s 4-2 penalty shootout win over the North Africans after a tense encounter over the weekend.
Her composed performance earned her the Woman of the Match accolade.
“She [Grace Asantewaa] has been stepping up in every game that we have been playing. It seems that if a game is more important, she is going to play even better. That’s really important for us,” Bjorkegren said.
The Swedish manager also lauded the effort of Jennifer Cudjoe, who partnered Asantewaa in midfield. He highlighted their energy and resilience, especially in a physically demanding knockout tie.
“Both her and [Jennifer] Cudjoe worked so hard. Normally, for a central midfielder, you cannot play 90 minutes or 120 minutes in a quarterfinal, but I couldn’t take out those two because they kept going and they did it so well, especially Grace,” he added.
The Black Queens will now turn their attention to a tough semifinal clash against host nation Morocco.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, with kickoff set for 19:00 GMT.
READ ALSO
