Head coach Yusif Basigi has pointed to fitness and endurance shortcomings as the key reason behind Police Ladies' 4-1 defeat to ASEC Mimosas in the WAFU B Qualifiers semi-final.
Speaking after the match, Basigi noted that while his team pressed well in the early stages, they struggled to sustain the intensity over 90 minutes. "We played a high pressing game up front, but the endurance to consistently track back and defend was missing," Basigi admitted. "At this level, you cannot allow opponents to attack and defend in numbers while you tire out.
That's where ASEC had the edge." He also highlighted his decision to replace forward Victoria Williams Teye with Jane Ayiyam, insisting it was necessary to add balance in both attack and defence.
The result serves as a wake-up call for Police Ladies, who must now focus on improving their conditioning if they are to compete with West Africa's elite clubs in future competitions.
