Black Princesses draw in Cameroun not bad
Ghana's female Under-20 football side, Black Princesses, are hopeful they will qualify for the 2018 FIFA Women’s World Cup when the curtain on the qualifiers are drawn in two weeks.
Over the weekend, the Princesses held Cameroun to a 1-1 draw game in Yaounde in the first leg and Coach Yusif Basigi is optimistic his ladies will win and qualify when they host the second leg in a fortnight from now.
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A 12th minute own goal from Helena Obeng gave the Camerounians an early lead, but Princella Adubea ensured the Princesses pulled even with her 52nd minute strike which also saw her increase her tally to nine in this campaign.
Coach Basigi, who had wished for a win, described the draw result as ‘good, given the frustrations they were put through by the Congolese referee Chancelle Cynthia Imane Ngakossa.
“We had gone to Cameroun, hoping for a win and keeping a clean sheet, but that did not happen and we had a draw. Thankfully, there is still a second leg to be played and while we are wary of such hopefulness turning into disappointment as suffered by other teams in the past, we are confident of winning because even in Yaounde, we played better.
“The ladies know what is at stake and they are determined to make amends in the final leg,” Coach Basigi told the Graphic Sports on the team’s return yesterday.
Adubea, who plays for Ampem Darkoa and who won a double as the top scorer in both the National Women’s League and Sanford FA Cup, said they were unhappy with the result as they played better and deserved to win.
“We had gone to Cameroun with the hope of keeping a clean sheet. We did our best, but didn’t get what we desired. We are back home and will do what is needful to ensure that we book our places to France,” Adubea, also 2016 SWAG Female Footballer of the Year, said.
While Ghana and Cameroun battled to a draw game, Nigeria also beat South Africa 2-0 away in Johannesburg to enhance their chances of making it to France in August.
