2016 Olympic Games: Gallant Black Queens hold Cameroon in Yaounde in crucial qualifier

Ghana women's national team the Black Queens put up an outstanding display to gain a huge advantage by holding Cameroon to a 1-1 in the first-leg of their 2016 Olympic Games qualifier in Yaounde on Saturday.

In fact it was the Ghanaians who dictated the pace of the game and came as no surprise when Mercy Myles gave the Black Queens the lead in the first half of the tough match.

However Christine Manie managed to gave her side a glimmer of hope ahead of the second-leg in Accra when she drew her side level with a strike.

The Black Queens, attempting a maiden qualification to the Olympic Games, was expected to be difficult as a result of their opponent’s recent fine spell at the just ended Women World Cup (WWC) in Canada.

However the Ghanaian women defied them at they own backyard by dominating the exchanges and could have even won the game if they had taken their chances.

 

The Black Queens have the chance now to eliminate the Cameroonians in the return leg in two weeks' time.

In 2012, Cameroon dashed the Queens’ hope of a debut appearance at the London Olympic Games, having held the latter to a one-all first leg fixture in Accra before wrapping up qualification with a lone win in Yaoundé in the reverse match.

The Indomitable Lionesses beat Switzerland and Ecuador at the group stage at the World Cup to progress to the last 16 despite losing to Japan to set up a meeting with former champions, China who won by a lone goal to advance at the expense of the Africans.