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Ghana’s
Black
Queens
succumbed
to
a
4-0
defeat
against
2011
Women’s
World
Cup
winners
Japan
in
a
friendly
at
the
Kanazawa
Go
Go
Curry
Stadium
on
Saturday.
With
the
Women’s
Africa
Cup
of
Nations
(WAFCON)
getting
postponed
to
2025,
Nora
Hauptle
decided
to
test
the
waters
and
see
how
far
his
team
has
come.
But
it
wasn’t
to
be
as
the
Black
Queens
experienced
their
biggest
defeat
under
the
tutelage
of
the
Swiss
tactician.
With
Hauptle
naming
a
stronger
lineup
boasting
of
midfield
maestro
Grace
Asantewaa
and
the
everlasting
Evelyn
Badu,
and
Doris
Boaduwaa,
all
seemed
set.
However,
it
was
Japan
who
started
brightly
and
created
numerous
chances
with
goalkeeper
Cynthia
Konlan
keeping
the
Nadeshikos.
diligently.
But
on
the
half-hour
mark,
captain
Portia
Boakye
was
sent
off
after
bringing
down
an
opponent.
This
did
not
deter
the
West
Africas
who
held
on
to
keep
the
score
level
at
half-time
Japan
were,
however,
ruthless
as
they
kept
searching
for
the
breakthrough.
Seven
minutes
after
the
break,
Tanaka
Mina
put
the
host
ahead
and
that
opened
up
the
floodgates
as
Japan
went
on
to
add
three
more.
Chelsea
youngster
Maika
Hamano
added
the
second
while
Aoba
Fujini
and
Riko
Ueki,
added
the
third
and
fourth
respectively
sealing
a
remarkable
victory
for
the
Asians.
Ghana
barely
had
any
moments
to
trouble
Japan
who
went
on
to
seal
the
win
with
a
clean
sheet.
For
Nora
Hauptle,
this
is
the
second
consecutive
time
her
team
has
conceded
three
or
more
goals
and
if
they
are
to
go
to
the
WAFCON
in
Morocco
come
2025,
she
would
hope
her
girls
can
adapt
and
change
the
situation
quickly.