It was a warm afternoon at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, and the Black Princesses took to the pitch with determination. Under the watchful eye of head coach Charles Sampson, the young Ghanaian side faced off against Army Ladies in a crucial test of their preparations.

The game was closely contested, but it was Zainab Haruna who made the difference, slotting home the only goal of the match to secure a 1-0 victory for the Princesses. Yet, for Coach Sampson, the result was secondary.

“I am satisfied with how the girls played. I wasn’t really looking at the result, but rather at how they would play as a team,” he remarked after the match. “I could see them replicating some of the things we have been doing in training, and so it’s a good thing. We will keep working on areas that need improvement and also organize these matches as needed to keep them in shape.”

The Black Princesses have been in camp for the past week, sharpening their skills ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers later this year. With tactical discipline and match sharpness as top priorities, Coach Sampson is determined to mold a team ready for the big stage.