Delta Queens coach anticipates a challenging match against Athletico

Delta Queens coach anticipates a challenging match against Athletico

Hassan Abdulsalam 14:32 - 27.08.2023

Delta Queens will battle Ivorian champions, Athletico in Benin City on Monday.

The Head Coach of Delta Queens, Tosan Blankson has revealed that he is expecting a tough clash in the semi-final of 2023 West Africa Zone B (WAFU-B) Women’s Champions League.

Delta Queens will battle Ivorian champions, Athletico in Benin City on Monday.

The Nigerian champions won 2-0 on Friday to secure first place in Group A. Atletico, which upset Amis du Monde, fell to Ghana's Ampem Darkoa 3-1 to finish second in Group B and advance to the semifinals against the Pearls, a matchup that the coach of the Nigerian team is not taking lightly.

The Asaba-based team won 2-0 as a consequence, which the coach considers a respectable performance. Temilope Owoeye and Ifeoma Ifituzue both scored twice in each half to secure the victory.

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He said, “Before this match, we have already qualified for the semi-finals and we have the semi-final to play against a very tough side from Ivory Coast.

“We were not supposed to put all our eggs in one basket. We brought a team that will give us results but not a do-or-die affair.

“With the way the game was going, I was thinking we were going to score four or five goals.

“The girls are playing well and knocking the ball but were too physical somewhere along the line. The instructions from the opponent might be to avoid conceding more than two goals to qualify for the semi-final.

“2-0 wasn’t a bad result. We will go back to the drawing board and think about the semi-finals. Irrespective of that, we have a strong bench. Whoever plays is a regular in Delta Queens. The difference in what you saw today is that some notable names were missing in the line up but that doesn’t mean those who played were not also good.

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“The woman of the match in the first game did not play throughout today. The starters are also good. Those coming from the bench are also good.”

To determine the champions and WAFU-B representative in the 2023 CAF Women's Champions League, the winner of the semifinal match between Delta Queens and Athletico FC will play either Ampem Darkoa or Sam Nelly.

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