Russia kick Queens' out of World Cup

Los Angeles, Sept. 26, GNA - An exciting Ghana's Black Queens lost their second group D match to a technically superior Russia 3-0 to bow out of the Fourth FIFA Women World Cup in the United States.

It is the second time in two appearances that the Queens have been bundled out at the preliminary stages after a poor showing in 1999. The Ghanaian ladies will have an image-saving final group match against Australia on Sunday. The Australians need a win to book a slot for the next stage.

The Queens played one of the exciting matches of the tournament so far, dominating the early exchanges with some fluent all-attacking play but lacked the needed punch upfront.

By the quarter hour of the first half, the Queens should have banged in not less than four goals but the attack led by US-based Mimi Osei-Agyemang either misdirected their shots or shot feebly into the hands of the Russian goalkeeper.

The former Eastern Communist European country made occasional counter attacks and during one of such moves, stocky goalkeeper Memunatu Sulemana dived to parry a 26th-minute close range shot. Ten minutes after that move, the Russians opened the scores with a superb freekick just outside the "18".

Wingers Mavis Djangma and Patience Sackey who made some impressive runs down the flanks tried in vain to equalise for the Queens before recess.

The Russians were an improved side after the break and scored two avoidable goals against the Ghanaians, whose defence failed to withstand the pressure.

Substitute Alberta Sackey and Djangma failed to at least redeem a goal for the Ghanaians when they wasted a me-and-you opportunities at the closing stages of the game.

We lost because of weariness and lack of potent strikers -Coach

Los Angeles, Sept 26, GNA - Oko Aryee, Head Coach of Ghana's Black Queens on Thursday attributed the team's 0-3 lost against Russia to weariness and the lack of a potent striker.

The Queens crumbled after a 30-minute dominance conceding a 36th minute goal and two later in the second half in their second group D match played at the Home Depot Stadium in Los Angeles.

It is the second time in two appearances that the Queens have been bundled out at the preliminary stages after a poor showing in 1999.

The Ghanaian ladies will have an image-saving final group match against Australia on Sunday, having lost their opening match 0-1 to China.

The Australians need a win to book the ticket for the next stage of the three-week competition.

Coach Aryee said the team's inability to win the game after dominating ball possession, 57 percent to 43 percent, was because the ladies over trained prior to the tournament, and also exerted much of their energies in the opening match.

"Excessive training drained the team and rendered them ineffective on the match day", he said.

The Coach said the team also lacked a potent arrowhead to bang in the goals saying, "we knew of the problems from Ghana but there was very little we could do".

He said the technical handlers had put their hopes on Nana Ama Gyanfua unfortunately; she got injured before the team left for the States.

"We were hoping that by the time the tournament kick-starts things would have fallen in shape but it never materialised", Coach Aryee said. Skipper Alberta Sackey and Mavis Djangma wasted glories opportunities, which could have turned the tide in favour of the Queens.

The coach said something drastic ought to be done to correct the "striking" problem before Sunday to at least, register a win at the tournament.

He said the issue of potent strikers need to be serious addressed when the team returned to Ghana.

Defending why skipper Alberta Sackey was started from the bench, the helmsman said the decision was influenced by the player's underperformance in the first game against China where she led the attack.

Coach Aryee introduced Sackey in the second half after US-based Mimi Osei-Agyemang had failed to glitter. Sackey brought some life into the game but failed to score when she came face-to-face with the Russian goalie.

The coach said the team made unpardonable mistakes and said "overconfident" goalkeeper Memunatu sulemana could have saved two of the three goals she conceded. The Queens play Australia at Oregon, Portland on Sunday.

Group D AUSTRALIA 1-1 CHINA

 Team  MP W D L GF GA Pts  
 RUS   2  2 0 0 5  1  6 
 CHN   2  1 1 0 2  1  4 
 AUS   2  0 1 1 2  3  1 
 GHA   2  0 0 2 0  4  0 

Group A NIGERIA 0-5 UNITED STATES

From Veronica Commey, GNA Special Correspondent in Los Angeles, USA: Courtesy Pioneer Food Cannery, Tema)