With the final hurdle against Ethiopia to be cleared to qualify for this year’s African Women’s Championship (AWC), Coach Yussif Basigi says his Black Queens are ready for the challenge as they play the first leg away in Addis Ababa on Sunday.
The Queens have been in the Ethiopian capital since last Monday, getting acclimatised to the weather that has often been a let down in such campaigns.
Three years ago, the Queens were eliminated by Ethiopia when they met in a qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games, and they are determined not to suffer the same fate when they meet again on Sunday.
While the weather and the vociferous Ethiopian fans, likely to fill up the stadium in Addis Ababa, could stand in the way of Coach Basigi and his team, he would rather concentrate on what his team brings to the table.
“We are aware of the challenge we will face in Ethiopia: the weather, the team we will play, as well as the fans who are sometimes intimidating, but we also have our own strength and that is what we will use to counteract any situation,” Coach Basigi told the Graphic Sports in a telephone conversation.
Ahead of the game, the Queens were buoyed up by a Portia Boakye lone goal against South Africa’s Bayana Bayana in an international friendly last Sunday in Johannesburg, and Coach Basigi believes that has boosted the confidence of his players.
“Last Sunday, we battled a resolute South African side in a very chilly weather but we prevailed and won 1-0. We believe we can put up the same show against Ethiopia.
We want to qualify for the AWC as much as everyone else and there is no way we will let Ethiopia ruin our plans,” Coach Basigi, who was an assistant coach when the Queens missed out on the last AWC two years ago, emphasised.
