Head coach of Ghana’s Black Queens, Kim Lars Björkegren, has praised his team’s steady progress and expressed confidence ahead of the quarterfinal clash against Algeria at the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Björkegren commended the growth of the squad under his guidance, highlighting their determination and improvement since he took over.
“We’re a pretty new team. We have many young players. I’ve only been on the team for five months, so we can see that we’re doing better and better, more or less, for each game,” he stated.
The Swedish coach expects a tough test from Algeria, a team he described as well-organized and tactically sound. He spoke highly of the Algerian coach, noting their previous encounters in the French and Chinese leagues.
“I know the coach of Algeria very well… I know he’s a really good coach, so I’m not surprised that the Algerian team is very organised. Maybe potentially the best organised team in this tournament. The coach is doing a good job there. It’s going to be a difficult game for us, for sure,” Björkegren added.
Despite the challenge, he encouraged his team to approach the match with confidence and belief in their abilities.
“We need to take this opportunity. We need to not be scared out there. Instead, see it in the opposite way—that we actually have a great chance to go to the next round. So just be there, do our best, and I’m sure that we have a good chance to go to the next step.”
Coach Björkegren also expressed his satisfaction with the decision to remain in Berkane for the game, rather than travel to Rabat. He believes the extra day of rest and familiar environment could give the Black Queens a slight edge.
“I’m happy to stay here. We’re going to play our third game here, and I’m glad we didn’t need to travel. The players got an extra day off, went to the beach, had some fun instead of sitting on a bus. That really helps us.”
Ghana will look to build on their momentum and continue their impressive run in the tournament as they take on Algeria for a place in the semifinals.