2023 Africa Games: Yussif Basigi narrates how Ghana defeated Nigeria

Ghana U20 head coach, Yussif Basigi, has shared insights into how the Black Princesses secured a historic victory over Nigeria to claim the gold medal in the women’s football category at the Africa Games.

Basigi praised the fans for their unwavering support and highlighted the weaknesses in the Nigerian team that his players capitalized on during the match.

He said, “Looking at the fan base, we could not afford to disappoint them. They came all over the country to support us so physiologically, I motivated them to prepare their minds to go and make the fans happy.”

Despite a slow start in the game, Basigi maintained faith in his players and motivated them to deliver an improved performance in the second half. He emphasized, “During recess, they were reminded once again and pointed out the weaknesses of the Nigerians which I felt worked for us.”

The coach attributed the team’s success to their attacking style of play and the determination displayed by the young talents from the Ghana Women’s League.

He stated, “People ask what my style of play is; I will say I play attacking football. Because even when I am behind, I still open up because I know the kind of players I have, I knew they can equalise and score at any minute so I urged them on until the final whistle.”

Basigi expressed satisfaction with the performance of his players, particularly praising Mukarama Abdulai for scoring the crucial goal despite facing criticism. He said, “Mukarama was criticised for not scoring and she being the one to score the crucial goal made me happy because a lot of people didn’t know why I kept on using her.”

He also acknowledged the tremendous support from the people of Ghana and Cape Coast, emphasizing that winning the gold medal was a fitting tribute to their unwavering backing.

Basigi concluded, “The people of Ghana and Cape Coast showed the team great support from the group stage through to the final and so winning Gold was the only option to thank them for their support.”

Basigi’s leadership has seen the Black Princesses maintain an unbeaten record under his tenure, spanning nine months.

The victory against Nigeria marks a significant achievement for the Ghanaian team, solidifying their position as a force to be reckoned with in women’s football on the continent.