Black Princesses coach, Yussif Basigi remains optimistic about his team’s chances in their upcoming group match against Japan, despite their 2-1 loss to Austria in the opening game of the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup on Monday.

Reflecting on the match, he noted the team’s slow start but highlighted their improved performance in the second half, where they dominated play but failed to convert key scoring opportunities.

“We started the game slowly, but towards the end of the first half, we began to find our rhythm. In the second half, we dominated play even though we were a goal down. “Unfortunately, we didn’t capitalize on our goal-scoring chances. This is an area we need to refine to stay competitive” Basigi remarked after the match.

He praised the second-half performance but acknowledged that a stronger start could have changed the outcome.

“If we had begun the game the way we played in the second half, it would have been a different story. But we started slowly,” he added.

Despite the pressure to perform, Basigi remains motivated and focused on improving the team’s performance in the upcoming matches.

With a talented squad and experience from previous international friendlies, the Black Princesses are determined to bounce back strongly.

“There’s definitely some pressure, especially since a win or draw against Austria would have boosted our morale. Now, we have no choice but to give our all in the remaining two games,” Basigi said.

Ghana will face Japan in their second Group E match on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

The Black Princesses are eager to advance beyond the group stage for the first time, despite having made six consecutive appearances at the tournament.