Black Queens Coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren expects tough test from Nigeria

Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren says he is expecting a tough test when his team faces Nigeria.

As part of their preparations for the upcoming 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Ghana defeated Malawi 3–1 in their first warm-up game on Saturday.

On Wednesday, the Black Queens rallied from behind to secure a 4–2 win against Benin in their second match, played at the Ziaïda Complex.

Speaking ahead of their final preparatory match on Saturday, the Swedish coach praised his side for their performance in the two games but acknowledged that Nigeria presents a much tougher challenge.

“With full respect to Malawi and Benin, Nigeria is one step up, one of the best teams in Africa, with good players in almost every position,” Bjorkegren told the team’s media.

“The game against Nigeria is going to be a very, very tough one. But that’s also what we need now, because we’ve shown that our lowest level is still high enough.

“We know we can score goals, and we’ve built a good defense, so it’s going to be fun to match up against one of the best teams,” the Black Queens manager stated.

Following the win against Benin’s Amazones, Bjorkegren emphasized the importance of building a winning mentality and improving the team’s attacking play.

He added, “Overall, I think it was a good game with a great second half. We struggled a bit in the middle of the first half, but once we took control and started playing our game, we were clearly the better team.”

Bjorkegren also highlighted the importance of squad rotation: “We can’t just rely on 11 players. We need more players ready to step up, and I want to use as many as possible.”

The Black Queens have been drawn into Group C alongside South Africa, Mali, and Tanzania.