The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed the Accra Sports stadium as the venue for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Ghana and rivals Nigeria. This will be the return-leg of the qualifiers which will come off on Sunday, October 24, 2021.
In a related development, the Confederation of African Football has appointed Zomadre Sonia Kore from Cote D’Ivoire as the referee for the epic clash.
Sonia Kore will be assisted by compatriots Kossonoux Denise Akoua (Assistant I), Ndeko Edwige Appia (Assistant II) and Zongbossi Beatrice Béatrice Gouchoedou from Benin (Fourth Official). Latré-Kayi Edzona Lawson Hogban from Togo will serve as the Match Commissioner while Ghana’s Christiana Baah works as COVID-19 Officer.
The crucial qualifier is scheduled for 4 pm kick off at the Accra Sports stadium. The winner of the two legs will make it to the second round of the qualifiers to play against the winner of the match between Niger and Cote D’Ivoire. The 2021 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations comes off in Morocco.
Nigeria – Ghana 1st leg AWCON qualifier
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons of Nigeria will host the Black Queens of Ghana in the 2021 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 1st leg qualifier at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. The game is scheduled for a 4pm kick off in Nigeria.
Togolese referee Vincentia Enyonam Amedome has been appointed to handle the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Ghana.
She will be assisted by compatriot Abra Sitsofe Agbedanou (Assistant I), Sonia Louis from Benin (Assistant II) and Edoh Kindedji from Togo (Fourth referee).
Souadatou Djallo-Kalkaba from Cameroon will serve as the Match Commissioner. Fadouma Dia Dia from Senegal will act as Referee Assessor while Sulaiman Onimisi Ohida from Nigeria works as COVID-19 Officer.
The draw for the qualification was criticized by many pundits with some describing as a ploy to end the dominance of the west African teams in the competition. Per the current draw, only one nation among West Africa giants; Nigeria, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire will qualify for the 2021 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Difficult task ahead of the Queens
As such, the Black Queens face a tall order enroute Morocco. The Queens have all to play for as the team seeks to re-write its name in the good books of Ghanaians after a poor showing in their last tournament hosted in Ghana. The strong performance of the Queens against Cameroon in the maiden Aisha Buhari Cup will boost the morale of the team ahead of the game. The Black Queens bounced back from a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of South Africa to beat Cameroon 2-0 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.
The first half produced few goal scoring chances as the two teams tried to size each other. However, the Black Queens broke the deadlock in the 60th minute thanks to a well-taking goal by Spain-based striker Princella Adubea. Fifteen minutes later, Ghana could have doubled its advantage but Thunder Ladies attacker Vivian Konadu failed to direct her low drive shot into the back of the net.
Konadu, however, made amends in the 89th minute by scoring a sublime goal as she dribbled past three Cameroonian defenders before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper.
Head coach Mercy Tagoe has a tough task ahead of her as she faces the most successive Women national team on the continent. More daunting is the fact that the Super Falcons also seek to bounce back to winning after a shocking 4-2 defeat to the Bayana Bayana of South Africa in the final of the Aisha Buhari Cup on Tuesday.
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