With just weeks to go until the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, optimism around the Black Queens has been suddenly replaced by uncertainty.
The recent appointment of Kim Lars Björkegren as head coach has coincided with a worrying dip in form, one that has sparked genuine concerns among fans and stakeholders.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) appointed the Swedish tactician earlier in 2025 to replace Nora Häuptle, who departed for Zambia after her contract ended on December 31, 2024.
Häuptle’s exit marked the end of an impressive tenure, one that revived the national women’s team from near obscurity to serious contenders.
Under Häuptle, the Black Queens enjoyed a renaissance. In her first 10 games, Ghana recorded 10 straight victories, conceding just once and keeping nine clean sheets.
Her full record stood at 14 games: 10 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. Most importantly, she successfully led the team to qualify for the upcoming WAFCON, instilling belief and building a cohesive unit in the process.
In contrast, her successor, Björkegren, formerly of Racing Louisville FC in the US, has struggled to replicate that form.
In five games so far, the Queens have won only once, a narrow 1-0 win over Senegal. The team has also drawn once and lost three times.
His debut match ended in defeat to Morocco, followed by a win against Senegal, then a loss against the same opponent, then a chaotic 3-3 draw with Côte d’Ivoire.
More concerningly, Ghana fell 1-0 to the Ivorians in the return fixture on June 4, 2025.
It’s a sequence of results that has sparked unrest among fans. Many are questioning whether Björkegren can steady the ship in time for a major continental tournament.
The fear is palpable; that all the progress made under Häuptle, who took a broken team and rebuilt it into a competitive force, could be undone just as the team seemed ready to challenge for the WAFCON title.
The stakes are high. For a team once brimming with confidence, the current run of form represents a worrying regression.
Björkegren’s tactics, team selections, and in-game decisions are already under scrutiny, with critics arguing he has yet to find the right balance or identity for the squad.
FKA/AE
Watch as Techiman Eleven Wonders crowned 2025 Division One League Champions
