Black Princesses head coach Yussif Basigi has expressed frustration over his team's inability to convert their chances following their 2-1 loss to Austria in the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup opener on Monday.
Ghana conceded a goal in each half, falling behind 2-0 before Stella Nyamekye managed to pull one back in the 91st minute. Despite the late goal, it was too little, too late as the seven-time finalists were unable to avoid defeat against the tournament debutants.
Reflecting on the match, Basigi pointed to his side’s wastefulness in front of goal as the primary reason for the loss.
"We started the game slowly, but towards the end of the first half, we began to raise our game. In the second half, we dominated play even after going down by a goal," Basigi said. "Unfortunately, we didn’t capitalize on our goal-scoring chances. This is an area we need to improve if we want to stay in contention."
He added, "Our second-half performance was very good. If we had started the first half as strongly as we did in the second, the outcome could have been different. We began slowly, and that’s something we must address."
Despite the setback, Basigi remains focused on turning things around in the remaining group stage matches. With a strong squad and experience from international friendlies, the Black Princesses are determined to bounce back.
"I won’t say there’s no pressure because a win or a draw against Austria would have given us a boost. But now, we have no option but to go all out in the remaining two games," Basigi stated.
Ghana will next face Japan in their second Group E match on Thursday, September 5, 2024, as they look to revive their campaign and keep their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages alive.
