WAFCON 2024: Black Queens Coach Kim Björkegren Confident Ahead of Semifinal Clash Against Morocco
Ghana’s Black Queens head coach, Kim Lars Björkegren, has expressed confidence in his team’s preparation and knowledge of their semifinal opponents, Morocco, ahead of Tuesday’s crucial 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) encounter.
The Black Queens will lock horns with the host nation on Tuesday, July 22 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, with kickoff scheduled for 19:00 GMT. The match marks Ghana’s first appearance in the semifinals of the tournament since 2016, following a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Algeria in the quarterfinals.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Coach Björkegren highlighted his familiarity with the Moroccan team, recalling his first assignment as Ghana’s coach against the same side.
“Of course I know them. I know the team very well. It was actually my first game with Ghana against Morocco,” he said.
Reflecting on that previous encounter, the Swedish tactician acknowledged the strength of the Moroccans but emphasized that Ghana had shown they could compete on equal footing.
“It was a tough game, but we had our chances. In the end, we lost in the last minute 1-0 if I remember correctly, but we also saw that we had a real chance to win that kind of game.”
When asked about key threats from the Moroccan lineup, Björkegren chose not to single out any players.
“I will not talk about specific players in the opponent’s team,” he added.
Ghana’s Black Queens are aiming to reach the WAFCON final for the first time since 2006, and a win against Morocco would mark a significant achievement under Björkegren’s leadership. All eyes will be on Rabat as the Queens look to defy the odds and advance to the tournament’s grand finale.
