Despite a 2-0 defeat to defending champions South Africa in their opening match of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren is drawing confidence from his team’s performance.

The Swedish tactician believes Ghana showed promise against one of the toughest opponents in the competition and remains optimistic about progressing from Group C.

“We were playing against the previous champions, so maybe it’s the toughest game you can play at this tournament,” Bjorkegren said in his post-match comments. “We did many good things, and we will take the positives with us into the next two games. I’m pretty sure we are going to make the playoffs, which is important.”

The Black Queens will aim to bounce back when they face Mali on Friday, July 11, before concluding their group campaign with a crucial clash against Tanzania.