The head coach of the Black Queens, Nora Hauptle has stated that her team is hungry to make a return to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after last playing in the tournament in 2018.
At a post–match press conference in South Africa on Monday, the Swiss expressed her pride in the team and her work since taking over in January 2023.
She noted that the Queens deserved their return to the tournament after yearning and being deprived of the honour for years.
“The performance today is closed because we qualified. Ghana is back in the WAFCON and we are hungry and willing to play there and I think a lot of the players deserve it,” she said after the game.
According to her, most of the team members are young and will have their first experience in the 2024 tournament with their qualification against Namibia.
“We have some young players and it will be their first time (WAFCON)…Generally, we have a very young squad.”
She, however, stressed that much work was needed to develop the team.
On her part, the Deputy Captain of the Black Queens, Linda Eshun said, “It means a lot for us because we’ve been away for about five years so it’s a great achievement and it’s good.”
She also recognized some aspects of their performance need improvement.
Qualification for 2024 WAFCON
The Black queens qualified despite losing in the second leg game against Namibia at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in South Africa on Tuesday.
Hauptle’s side recorded their first loss under her wings but managed to eliminate the Gladiators to make their way up to the top on a 3-2 aggregate.
They will now compete in the 2024 WAFCON in Morocco after failing to qualify for the last tournament in 2022.
They will be attempting their first win after placing third both in 2004 and 2016, second in 2006, getting eliminated at the group stages in 2008, 2010 and 2018 and not qualifying in 2012.
Since taking over the job, Hauptle has won 10 out of 11 games.
