(Black Queens players before their game with Ampem Darkoa Ladies. Photo: NB Sports Live)

With 52 days to the commencement of the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations, Black Queens of Ghana have kicked start their preparations towards the competition.

The Queens began their training programme with a nationwide tour two weeks ago and have met with the Koasehene and Mawerehene of Techiman traditional area, Nana Opoku Ofosu Gyeabour II in his palace.

The team who held a temporary camp in Kumasi in the Ashanti region, have played and won series of friendlies including Kumasi Sports Academy (4-0), Kumasi selected-side (2-0), Prison Ladies (5-1) and Ampem Darkoa Ladies (1-0).

Under the guidance of coach Bashiru Hayford, the Black Queens are without some key foreign-based players, while some have been given permission to leave camp to secure contracts abroad.

Hayford, however, maintained that despite the pool of players at his disposal he has enough to choose from, as he rotates with two sides within the camp.

"I am happy with the players so far, I think we need to economise their strength and energies,” Hayford said in an interview with AshFM

“We have a bigger task ahead of us so it is important to reserve some energy. That’s why I have two teams. One set plays a game/half and the other set for another game.”

In the meantime, the trophy for the 2018 AWCON is expected to arrive in Ghana in the coming days before moving to other places in the continent as part of the touring of the coveted title.

Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Cameroon, Algeria, Mali and Equatorial Guinea are expected to witness the trophy at stake for the eight-nation championship later this year.

While El Wak Sports Stadium, Ndoum Sports Stadium, Robert Mensah Stadium and Presec Park have been selected as the training venues for the upcoming 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.

The teams that will be based in Accra will use the El Wak Sports Stadium and Presec Park as training grounds whiles the Robert Mensah Stadium and Ndoum Stadium will be used by teams to be based in Cape Coast.

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