WAFCON 2024: Ghana’s Kim Björkegren picks positives from South Africa defeat

Head coach of Ghana’s senior female team, Kim Lars Bjorkegren says he is impressed with his team’s performance despite losing their opening group C game to South Africa at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The Black Queens suffered a 2-0 loss against Bayana Bayana at the Stade Honneur on Monday with a goal each by Linda Motlahlo from the penalty spot and the second from experienced Jermaine Seopesenwe.

Bjorkegren, who replaced Nora Hauptle as Ghana coach, has admitted to being disappointed over the loss but believes the team gave a good account of itself against the defending African champions.

“Really happy with the start of the game for us I think we were the better team in the first half hour until the penalty came. They can score from the penalty, it came a little from nowhere and after that, we gave them the opportunity to score another one.

“That’s the problem and then we lost concentration and then we gave it away too much but otherwise, the performance was good.

The Swedish trainer expressed positives in the team’s chances of qualifying from group C if they put their house in order.

“We know [that] we were playing against the previous champions so maybe the potential of the toughest game playing in this tournament and like I said we did many good things and if we take the good things with us into the next game, I’m pretty sure that we can make the playoffs.”

The Black Queens next game is against Mali, a side that defeated Tanzania in their Group C opener by 1-0.