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Morocco World
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
What's Been Said After Morocco Beat Ghana?
Morocco secured its spot in the WAFCON final after beating Ghana 4-2 on penalties at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat. The semi-final ended 1-1 in regular time, with Sakina Ouzraoui Diki scoring Morocco's equaliser and later being named Player of the Match. 'This trophy is for the team,' she told CAFOnline. 'They worked hard and gave everything. I am proud of my family. They push me forward a lot. This trophy is for them.' Morocco's coach Jorge Vilda congratulated Diki for the award, saying: 'Congratulations to Ouzraoui for the award. The Ghanaian team were physical, but we played collectively and eventually won.' Looking ahead to the final, Vilda said: 'I am thinking about the Nigerian team that we will be playing in the final.' This win against Ghana triggered wild celebrations in the Olympic Stadium. One fan wrote on social media: 'This is a motivational message to Walid Regragui and his squad! Bravo to the Lionesses!' Another added: 'You brought joy to our mothers. They prayed for you from the heart. Reaching the final alone is a huge achievement. Good luck, inshallah.' A third one said: 'Make us proud; we want this trophy to stay in Morocco. I believe in you!' Ghana, meanwhile, will play for third place in Casablanca. 'Final missed, but the mission's not over,' the team wrote on X. 'Bronze in sight. We move!' Fans of the Black Queens reacted with mixed feelings. One fan commented: 'Best of luck next time. You did well. Keep your spirits high, girls! There's always a next time to shine!' Another criticised the coaching decisions and sloppy final product: 'The coach is useless… The substitutes he made show how poor our choice of coach was. If we had a more clinical forward, we would have been deadly against any opponent… But this was a good tournament for the ladies. Better luck next time!' Tags: GhanaMoroccoWAFCON 2024
CAF
a day ago
- Sport
- CAF
Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo confident Ghana can overcome hosts Morocco
It is difficult to talk about Ghanaian Football without bringing up the name Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo. A former Black Queens player who graduated to being a referee before becoming the first female head coach of the nation's national team, Tagoe is a living legend. Her contribution to the beautiful game in Ghana and beyond will forever be present in history books and while she is no longer in charge of the Black Queens, her thoughts and wishes are with the Ghanaian side that takes on the hosts Morocco in the second semifinal at the ongoing TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 at the grandeur Olympic Stadium in Rabat on Tuesday. The Black Queens return to the WAFCON semifinals for the first time since 2016 with one objective – a slot in the coveted final on Satuday, July 26 at the same venue. CAFOnline caught up with Tagoe for insight into this must-win fixture for the Black Queens. What should Ghana's tactical blueprint be to neutralize Morocco's possession-based style and home advantage? First of all, the Queens must apply high pressing in the middle third to disturb Morocco's possession base style in order to disorganise their pattern of play. The Queens must keep a compact mid-block by maintaining a tight defensive shape and also close down the spaces in between the lines. They must use their physical strength (Princess Marfo) and aggressive approach to disorganise Morocco's tactical and technical players. The Moroccan team has aerial deficit, so the Queens must capitalise on that whenever they win free kicks in the final third or even cornerkicks (set pieces). The Black Queens must keep their defensive line compact in order not to allow Moroccan players Ghizlane Chebbak, Ibtissam Jraidi, Najat Badri and Fatima Tagnaout to exploit the spaces. Doris Boaduwaa and Evelyn Badu have shown flashes of brilliance — how critical is their role in breaking down Morocco's defensive organization? As creative as Evelyn is in the midfield, she must use her passing and movement abilities to open the Moroccan compact middle block to create spaces in their defensive shape, and that will enable her to shoot to score. Doris is a dribbler and has the pace, so during transition to attack, she can stretch Morocco's defensive line and exploit the spaces behind. Ghana has had to fight hard to reach this stage after missing the last edition. What does this semifinal mean for the team's redemption arc and legacy? Getting to this stage for me is an important step of restoration of pride. It also symbolises RESILIENCE, GROWTH, and also announcing our RETURN to continental football. This is a remarkable redemption arc for Ghana's international Women's Football especially missing the last edition of the WAFCON. This will go a long way to inspire the next generation of female football players in Ghana. Having experienced top-level African Football, what's the psychological key to handling a partisan crowd and a host team in a high-stakes match? For me, I want the Black Queens to see that hostile atmosphere as a motivation. They should focus, keep mental composure, stay united, and stick to the game plan. They must block out that part of their minds from crowd pressure. Ghana is solidly behind them. Morocco has developed tactically since their WAFCON 2022 final run — how do you assess Ghana's preparedness to counter their evolution? Comparatively, Ghana is tactically sharper and more cohesive than the previous years, considering the (three) defensive structure, (five) midfield balance, and (two) attacking fluidness. For me, the Black Queens are well exposed to these high-level competitions, have world-class players who play in top flight competitions in Europe, so they are equipped enough to adapt in-game to match Morocco's tactical maturity and disorganise their rhythm effectively and efficiently. What would your rallying message be to the Black Queens in the tunnel before kickoff? Girls, this is the moment! Go play your heart out, believe in yourselves, and fight with pride! Block out the noise! Be motivated by the thoughts of your families, your pears back home, and Ghana as a whole. Leave a legacy, and let's make history! Go Queens Go Ghana! YES!
CAF
6 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
15 days to go: Senegal not under pressure to retain CHAN title
Senegal coach Souleymane Diallo says it is important not to be overwhelmed by the pressure of being champions The tactician talks about his team's meticulous and structured preparation a few weeks before the start of the competition He also talks about the strategic importance of the CHAN for the development of domestic football Successor to Pape Thiaw, the man who led Senegal to the title of African champion at the TotalEnergies CHAN 2022 in Algeria, Souleymane Diallo now bears the responsibility of defending the continental crown. A few weeks before the kick-off of the 2024 TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) to be played in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from 1-28 February, he shares his state of mind, his team's preparations and the challenges of this new edition. With a wealth of experience on the continental stage, Diallo is aware of the expectations placed on him and his squad, which is largely made up of new faces. In this exclusive interview with he talks about the pressure of being the title holder and the strategic importance of the CHAN for domestic football. The challenge is immense, but Diallo approaches this competition with serenity and a plan, ready to write a new chapter in the history of Senegalese football. CAFOnline: What is your state of mind a few weeks before the start of the 2024 TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship? Souleymane Diallo: I have a very good state of mind overall. I think the boys are aware of what is at stake in this competition, but we must not put ourselves under pressure. For me, the most important thing is the first game. We will have to approach it with a very good state of mind, a very good mentality, but above all an African mentality which consists of being serene first and identifying the obstacles we need to tackle. How are your preparations going? Overall, very good. The program plan that we have drawn up is proceeding normally. We have taken the boys in a training camp. We will stay there until the start of the competition. We will also have a training camp in a country bordering the three host countries (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania). Senegal is the title holder. Does this add extra pressure? No, no pressure! I am used to saying that. Pressure is important in all things. Most importantly, the source of the pressure must first be identified. If you identify the source of the pressure and you identify the nature of the pressure, for me, right now, there's no more pressure, but there's situational awareness. It's true that Senegal is African champion, but don't forget that the African champion squad is not the same squad as we have at the moment. We only have two survivors (Serigné Koita and Aboudoulaye Dieng). So, we will have to analyse strongly. Does Senegal come with its African champions or does Senegal come with the title of African champion? We have to point out the nuanced difference between these two. But what is most important, we will come to approach this competition in the best possible way, while not hiding our coat as African champions. On the contrary, this awareness of our African champion mantle pushes us to have a much more cautious approach, a much more serene approach. Why is the CHAN an important competition in your eyes? The CHAN is a very important competition. I usually tell journalists that. Already, the CHAN reflects the level of competition of the nation itself. Today, the characteristic of the CHAN is that it takes into account players playing in their local championship. Today, I tell my colleagues that we represent the championship itself, the Senegalese championship, because the CHAN will reflect the level of the Senegalese league. That's why, for me, it's a special competition, a very important competition. You were the coach of the Senegalese team at the African Games. How has this pan-African, continental experience been useful to you and will it serve you well for the CHAN? I think that today, I have a little African experience. This pan-African experience will serve as a support for us to be able to approach this competition. I have had the opportunity to do several African and world competitions. Three Junior World Cups, three Junior African Cups, two African Games. I think we will base ourselves on these experiences, on these African competitions, to be able to approach this competition in the most serene way possible. Apart from Senegal, which teams can lift the trophy? Today, it will be very, very difficult to say about the teams. You will of course agree with me that in Africa, all the teams are improving. The teams are very, very, very rigorous, both in terms of the training approach, but also in terms of management, because sporting performance is made up of two essential parameters. There are external factors and internal factors. In Africa, people are starting to work, to take these two factors into account. Previously, we were limited to the internal factors of performance. Today, most African teams work on their environment. So it will be very difficult, bordering on suicidal, to want to predict the potential winners.
CAF
12-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Jennifer: Elevating the Cudjoe Name in Africa and Beyond
A Woman of the Match Award in her debut at the TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations is something that Jennifer Cudjoe could only dream about. But if there is anything that football has taught anyone, it is that dreams do come true even when least expected. Playing in Africa's biggest football showpiece for the very first time, the 31-year-old Jennifer was passionate right from the onset. After watching the opener against South Africa in the stands because of a suspension, she finally got the enviable opportunity of starting the gamefor her nation. Singing loudest when the national anthem rang across the neat Berkane Stadium in Friday's encounter against Mali in their second Group C tie, she came alive. 'Bold to defend for ever…With all our will and might for evermore…To serve thee, Ghana, now and evermore'. And serve did she when the whistle was blown for the match to kick off. 'It is my first WAFCON so being able to stand there, sing the national anthem with a proud chest, in that moment I was just thinking about my family, the people close to me, people that I care about and all of them watching me. I need to be locked in and give everything. I am grateful that it worked out today, so I am looking forward to the next game,' she says with a glow in her eyes. Her quality was visible right from the beginning of the game. She was involved in Ghana's offensive and defensive play. In a very dominant opening 45 minutes for Ghana, Jennifer showed her technical proficiency, was efficient in one on ones and was the bridge between the defense and her side's attacking plays. 'Watching from the stands in the opener, I knew that if I am going to get a chance to come in, I need to do more, work hard and give my team the balance. I am super excited that I finally have played at the WAFCON. This is a dream come true. I am kind of sad of course because this is not the result that we wanted but I am grateful for the platform,' Jennifer admits. A natural born leader Ghana opened the scoring thanks to Alice Kusi in the sixth minute, but Mali's Aissata Traore equalized in the 52nd minute. Throughout the entire match, Jennifer's leadership was visible on the field of play. When teenage sensation Comfort Yeboah was handed a yellow card for a foul just outside the box, it was Jennifer who walked to her to encourage her and keep her in the game. A leader and an organizer, Jennifer leads from the thick of things – inside the pack. She is precise with the ball, and she breaks the lines to reach the forwards in the final attacking third. Her positioning is that of a mature player, excellent reading of the game and she anticipates play by intercepting balls played in the gaps. Ghana head coach Kim Lars Björkegren tells CAFOnline that, 'She came in and gave us the energy in the middle. I am happy with her today. We needed her leadership, and she showed quality throughout the game.' The Swedish coach sang her praises during and after the post-match press conference visibly happy with her commitment to the team's cause. Accounting Graduate, Professional Footballer As a young girl, born and raised in Accra, Jennifer was inspired to play the beautiful game by her elder sister Elizabeth Cudjoe – a trailblazer in Ghana and beyond. Jennifer knew from the onset that she wanted to do big things. She wanted to write her own story. It was never competition with her elder sister but rather an aspiration to grow the Cudjoe name globally. 'Football has shaped me to find myself, my identity as a woman and as a footballer. It has taught me about life and how to embrace opportunities. It gave me an opportunity to go to college and because of that, I want to be an inspiration to young girls in Ghana. I want them to dream that it is possible to make it, to play with the best in the world,' Jennifer speaksthoughtfully. Moving to the USA at the age of 18 in 2013 meant that Jennifer had to adjust quickly to the way of life in the USA, embrace the opportunity of studying at NorthEastern Oklahoma and accustomed to being a student athlete. Eventually, this paid off with her graduating with a prestigious Accounting Degree in Business. She won the 2014 National Junior College Athletic Association Region II Soccer Player of the Year and was named to the NJCAA All-Region team in 2013 and 2014. Jennifer then relocated to Northeastern State University and finished her college career at the University of Maine at Fort Kent with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. She was named as the Ghanaian Female Athlete of the Year in 2015 by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana. She was a member of the UMFK team that won the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Championship in 2016. She was also named to the All-American team. Jennifer then joined California Storm and Asheville City Soccer Club. In 2020, she signedwith Gotham Futbol Club in New York playing three years in the National Women's Soccer League before signing with Futbol Club Nordsjaelland in Denmark. Giving back to the community 'Football has provided me with a platform to meet important people and play with and against the best of the best. These are opportunities that I do not take for granted. My Mom and my sister called me after the game [against Mali on Friday]. My brother sent me a little note and said, 'Next time. I am pretty sure that they are disappointed, but they are proud of me.' 'Playing in the USA gave me the mentality to work harder than everybody else, to always be ready. It is something that I learnt from Carli Lloyd [American legend – two-time World champion and Olympic gold medalist], stay ready until your chance comes. So, I have always been working hard and waiting for an opportunity, and it has finally come.' Jennifer represented Ghana at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup 2014 in Canada where she scored a goal against Finland in a memorable Group A game that will always remain special to her. Her journey has been one filled with patience, resilience and a yearning to pass on the torch. This is what motivated her to start the Jennifer Cudjoe Community Project Foundation in 2022 that helps young athletes – mostly girls and boys, chase their dreams through sports and education. 'I give back to the community, to the young ones especially those that never had an opportunity to have mentorship. We give them boots and this alone can change their lives. We have so many partners that come on board to donate and this has been important to us.' Jennifer, who currently features for DC Power in the USA, is not just an inspiration for other girls and boys in Ghana and beyond but also to her younger brother – Marica Cudjoe. The youngster is the current captain of the U20s at SMAC Academy connected to the Juventus Academy in the Ghanaian capital – Accra. While playing in America has opened opportunities for her, it was not a straight line, but Jennifer is confident that as an African player, her presence in these spaces continues to create platforms for others to join in. 'I love DC [Washington DC] because the people are very respectful, a predominantly Black community gives a feeling of home. You will see so many Ghanaians, Ugandans, Ethiopians basically, you will see people who are the same. People who will take you as a sister and make sure that you do not feel out of place.' A place that she is quickly calling home where in her first ever game, she has walked away with the beautiful and well-deserved Woman of the Match Award, is the ongoing WAFCON in Morocco. One point after two games means that Ghana sit bottom of Group C but Jennifer is confident that the Black Queens can turn things around. The Black Queens take on Tanzania in a do or die last group fixture on Monday, July 14 in Berkane.
CAF
08-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Noxolo Cesane: Celebrating 50 with more to come
Born in Gugulethu, Cape Town – a township in the Western Cape, Noxolo Cesane's journey to the global stage has been nothing short of resilience, trailblazing and consistency even when things have not been rosy. Her graceful approach on and off the pitch is noteworthy. That is why on Monday, July 7 when she marched onto the Honneur Stadium pitch in Oujda, northern Morocco at the ongoing TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 to make her 50th appearance in South African colours, a feeling of content engulfed her. The 24-year old Cesane knows that she is lucky to play the game that she loves so much. She explained to CAFOnline exclusively after the game, 'Honestly, I am happy to have reached 50 caps in our South African national colours. It is an honour to be playing at the WAFCON. It has been an incredible journey to get to this point.' The journey to 50 Like many a girl across the world, she kickstarted her journey by playing with boys in her neighbourhood before joining the Cape Town Roses with her twin sister Sinoxolo Cesane. Together, they rose through the ranks at junior level featuring for South Africa at the U17 and U20 levels. It is that excellence that led her to being chosen to the senior national team making her debut at the tender age of 19 on August 5, 2019 at the COSAFA Women's Championship in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape in front of the home fans. She remembers it like it was yesterday. South Africa head coach Dr Desiree Ellis who handed her, her first cap back reminisces, 'She was a revelation at that COSAFA Cup then came to the WAFCON in 2022 and made that fantastic pass to Jermaine [Seoposenwe] to score against Nigeria. She had a very good tournament then she went to the World Cup. She has really paid her dues. She then went overseas. Well deserved for a player who has really put in the work.' Cesane is who she thinks she is. Her movement on and off the ball speaks to her quality. Ball control, confidence and overall a standout understanding of the game that helps her decision making on the pitch is what sets her apart from the crowd. The impact and purpose at hand 'So many people look up to us because of where we come from. In Gugulethu, things look so crusty, so confusing and for me, I am grateful that I am able to represent them at the highest levels. It is important that they know that one has to work really hard to get what you want. Honestly, success does not really fall from the sky. You need to wake up early,' Cesane reflects on why playing football is important to her and her people back home. 'My sister and I together with other boys, we used to wake up early in the morning to go for practice. We were all so motivated to play the game and I am so proud of our journey. I am happy for them. Gugulethu is like a community, like a school. You learn a lot from the people there. They are all parents to us. If you are able to take all the lessons from them then we can succeed. That is the weapon to achieve our goals.' WAFCON 2024 With the WAFCON 2022 title in the bag, Cesane is striving to make sure that South Africa defend their title and that journey began against Ghana. At stake were the three points to garner their confidence as a team going forward and indeed she together with her teammates did the work to ensure a 2-0 victory. 'This was a very important game for us to be able to move forward so it was really hard at the beginning but we made it through,' she adds. This is her third WAFCON having played her first in 2018 in Ghana when they went to the final and lost to arch-rivals Nigeria 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw following extra time. Her teammate Ramalepe who amassed 111 caps against Ghana said about her teammate Cesane, 'She is a good player. Since she came to Banyana Banyana, she has improved a lot. Now, she is able to understand the game so well and also I love her. She is a player that I look up to even though I am a senior to her and she is a junior in the team. There is a lot to learn from her. I think that she should continue doing the work and working for the country.' What next? When Cesane received a specialized souvenir 50th cap jersey from Ellis after the game, she had an ear-to-ear smile. 'My twin sister has been calling me and she is very happy. I am also happy for her.' Sinoxolo Cesane is currently featuring for Mazatlan Femenil in Mexican topflight league. Former South African international Simphiwe Dludlu cum coach and broadcaster who was the analyst commentator for the world feed for this game told CAFOnline that, 'I have seen Noxolo and her twin sister [Sinoxolo] as 13 year olds dominating local women's football tournaments from Cape Town Roses (their first club) and they have have never stopped to accommodate anyone.' 'Noxolo has traveled the whole continent as an U17, U20 key player in the national team and grown her game into the senior team. Seeing her flourish with such class is a reward to me having worked with her from youth national teams. She has played in Europe, South America and now back in South Africa to continue the magic. I wish her even more longevity in the game. May she only change to elevate higher and higher into World Football. Well done superstar on your milestone for the Big 50 Caps.' South Africa will take on Tanzania in their next Group C matchup on Friday, July 11 at 8pm local time at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, Morocco.
