We are down but not out — Queens coach

­­The Black Queens, Ghana’s senior female football team, began their campaign at the African Women’s Championship (AWC) with a jerky 0-1 loss to Algeria, but head coach, Yussif Basigi, insists all is not lost yet and that his charges will bounce back in their second game.

The Queens dominated  for greater part of the game last Sunday, but a goalkeeping blunder by Fafali Dumehesi and defender Rosemary Ampem’s failure to clear the ball on time, gave Horiya Affak a striking chance which she perfectly utilised to claim the three points, a result that came as a big surprise at the tournament being held in Namibia.

Now, the Queens must beat Cote d’Ivoire tomorrow to keep their dream of a first AWC title on track and Coach Basigi insists they are down but not out of contention.

“Our plan was to win the first game. However, we did not achieve that. We still have a chance with two matches to go and we remain optimistic that we will pick one of the two slots available in Group B,” he told the Daily Graphic in a telephone interview.

While avoiding the temptation to blame anyone for the loss, Coach Basigi said. “Perhaps, at the back of their minds, the players knew they would win and psychologically underrated the Algerians.”

Though it is a match they quickly would want to forget, Coach Basigi believes they have learnt their lessons and would go all out against Cote d’Ivoire as they have no 0ther choice having their backs to the wall now.

“ It is very disappointing that we lost. We had all the chances to bury the game, but somehow, we simply could not find the back of the net when we needed it most. Hard luck, perhaps, over- anxiety to score at all cost, but we will surely bounce back.

“We have no choice. We will have to play against the Ivorians as if we are playing the final. Our continued stay in the competition hinges on the Cote d’Ivoire match and we will work hard to recover,” the coach, who like the Queens, is in search of continental glory, said.