The Ghanaian Black Girls need to bounce back from their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Group C defeat against Brazil, says coach Joe Nana Adarkwa.
Ghana beat Norway 3-0 in their opening game and will now face Brazil on Wednesday 21 October at the Mohammed VI Football Academy at 18:00 GMT.
Adarkwa admitted his team did not perform well against Norway and said their focus is immediately on the next game.
As we turn the page and look forward to our crucial match against Brazil, I want to be direct about where we stand. We played our best against Norway, but our best was not enough. That’s football – sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. We have no excuses. We lost and we accept it. He said that now all our attention is focused on the next game.
The manager admitted his side’s inability to convert opportunities was a major weakness and said the players had been working on their shots in training.
Our game against Norway revealed a critical area we need to address: our finishing. We couldn’t score and frankly I don’t know why the players hesitated. In a game situation, players cannot be expected to drive the ball towards the post. No coach will accept that. We have watched the match, analyzed it and already worked on our shots in training. Now we’ll see if we can apply that work in a match environment. I know the girls will apply it.
Despite the defeat, Adarkwa said there is a positive atmosphere in the squad as Ghana prepares for a demanding contest against Brazil.
Psychologically, the team is in a good place. The atmosphere in training is at a high level and we have no complaints. The energy is positive and the focus is sharp.
A decision on who will score is pending before kick-off. Adarkwa said he would consult with his technical team in the remaining hours, but said he was happy with his goalkeeping choices.
For now, we have a few hours to make a final decision on our goalkeeper. I will sit down with my technical team and we will decide who stays. But I want to be clear: we have no problem in that department. We have three capable goalkeepers and any one of them can step up and do the job.
With their qualification hopes in jeopardy, Adarkwa said Ghana will approach the match with the intention of securing victory, although a draw would also keep their campaign alive.
Our goal for the Brazil match is simple and non-negotiable: we must win at all costs. We cannot lose this match. A win or a draw will be good so we can clearly fight forward in the final match. But make no mistake, we’re going for the win. We know it will be a tough match. Brazil is a formidable opponent, but we will deliver. The girls are ready.
Ghana will face Canada in their final group game on Saturday.