Yusif Basigi, coach of Ghana’s U-20 female team, the Black Princesses, is confident in his team’s potential to make it to the final of the ongoing 2024 African Games.
Their upcoming semifinal match against Senegal in the women’s competition is scheduled for 20:00GMT.
Despite expecting a tough game, Basigi believes in his team’s ability to secure a spot in the final.
Reflecting on their recent match against Uganda, where they executed their game plan well despite conceding an early goal, Basigi stresses the importance of thorough preparation.
“We played Senegal during the World Cup qualifiers and scored against them, but we won’t underestimate them this time. I’ve watched them play, and they’re a good side, so we’ll approach the game with seriousness as it will be tough.”
Although injuries have caused some instability in the defense, Basigi assures that they’ve worked to address mistakes and strengthen their defensive line.
“Injuries have made our defense a bit unstable, but we’ve addressed our mistakes in training. Although we conceded first in the last game before equalizing, we’ll ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Recognizing Senegal as a strong opponent, Basigi emphasizes the need for a serious approach.
Despite striker Mukarama missing some chances recently, Basigi expresses confidence in her abilities and promises continued support for her development.
“Mukarama missing chances doesn’t mean she won’t play. I’ll keep using her, and I believe she’ll regain her confidence.”
“She’s our lead striker, and being away for a while can affect consistency, but we’ll keep giving her opportunities, and I’m sure she’ll start converting her chances.”
As they focus on improving Mukarama’s goal-scoring skills during training, Basigi remains hopeful for a successful match against Senegal.
“We’ve been working on her goal-scoring abilities in training, and I hope she’ll have opportunities to convert against Senegal.”
The match will be held at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
