It is indeed rare to meet an accent Liverpudlian through the highways and the African football tracks, but the midfielder of Ghana, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, certainly brought his Flair de Scouse to the Cup of African female.
In Morocco, the British-Ghanais played a catchy role for the Black Queens when they reached the semi-final, and are now preparing for the 3rd match against South Africa on Friday.
Boye -Hlorkah of London City Lionesses – which, by its own admission, has never set foot on the Ghanaian ground – can be proud of a competition in which it was one of the stars in small groups of the Wafcon.
Born in the Liverpool district of Anfield and a graduate of the Everton Academy, the 29 -year -old woman represented her hometown club until 2021, when she moved to Aston Villa, and has since presented London City lionesses for two female Super League campaigns.
“I went to London to watch her and meet her before playing for the Black Queens,” the Swedish head coach of Ghana said Kim Bjorkegren, in ESPN.
“She played with three Swedish girls, including [Sweden captain Kosovare] Asllani, which I had trained. I heard good things about it, so when I saw her and I met her, I was already sure that she was a girl who could represent us.
“She seized this chance, has spoken so well of everything here, and really wants to help Ghana win this last match and make the inhabitants of Ghana.”
The midfielder did not make his debut until April, but quickly established himself as one of the stars of the Black Queens, while presenting his deep affinity for Ghana.
She was appointed player of the match in the last group match against Tanzania, inspiring Ghana with a 4-1 victory, with his decision-making, authority, technique, energy and defensive contributions guaranteeing the heavyweights of the West in the KO. She also added a fourth end for the Black Queens to seal their progress towards the quarter -finals in a certain style.
Operating as a real midfielder general in this match, despite the fact that he is an winger, Boye-Hlorkah assumed new offensive responsibilities in the semi-finals against Morocco, having a decent early attempt and creating a late chance for Princella Adubia before his substitution of 102nd minute for Sherifatu Sumalia.
Morocco finally won 4-2 in penalties after a 1-1 draw, but Boye-Hlorkah won applause at home, with its desire to take responsibilities and qualities of leadership-although it is one of the most recent faces of the team-standing up.
“I think she helps us a lot,” said Bjorkegren. “She has experience of England of course, both the fact that she grew up there, but also the experience of the League, and mentally you are a little different because of this.
“She gives the team the power at the same time in the way she is, but also the way she plays, so I think it was really good for us.”
With only four of this Ghana team having previously appeared in a female Afcon, Boye-Hlorkah is part of a new harvest of players who, under Bjorkegren, are determined to restore the Black Queens to their previous position in the female game and even reach a first World Cup since 2007.
Fueled by the Ghanaian fufu soup, Gari and African peanut butter from a young age, she certainly brings new energy and a new character that needed a pick-up after even failing to qualify for the Wafcon 2022.
“I am a scourshment, I am an energetic and a little crazy character,” she said in a recent interview with Ghanaian Outlet 3sports, “but I am really refrigerated at the same time, completely soil on the ground. It’s just me.
“I have played football since I was very young, about four years, when I saw the boys playing, and one of the dads of other children saw my mother and was like:” Bring her to football that the boys do “.
“So I went down and from there, I continued, traveling the ranks of Everton.”
Nicknamed “Chaney”, she was drafted in the first team of Everton at the age of 17, impressive by her versatility through the front line and a fantastic jump that drew the attention of Mo Marley’s U-19 team.
Successive injuries on the knee ligament affected the first years of her career in Merseyside, although she returned to play 17 of the 20 Everton WSL games in 2018-2019.
Citing Robinho, Nani, Ronaldinho, Neymar and Rachel Yankey like his favorite players of all time, it may not be surprising that Boye-Hlorkah gives off supreme confidence on the ball, while bringing a touch of flamboyance to the tournament.
From now on, part of a Ghana team has increased more and more from the vast diaspora of the country across Europe and the United States, Bjorkegren hopes that Boye-Hlorkah and Joséphine Bonsu, of German origin, can help shape the future on this side.
“When you add such a player to the group, with a little different spirit, and from a different culture, you refresh the culture of Ghana a little,” continued the head coach.
“It’s the same thing for me as a Swedish coach, you add something and you give something too, it’s a bit of leave and grip.
“It’s great to create a group, a dynamic group, similar to what I trained in the United States for the race in Louisville and we had players from around the world, it was great to see how the group met with players everywhere.
“A job is to see who is there, who else is there to represent the Black Queens,” he concluded, “and for Ghana, as a country, to turn to local players, young talented Ghana players, but it’s a difficult job for me and the players to do.”
Perhaps, before too long, Boye-Hlorkah will not be the only Scouser representing the Multicultural Liverpool football home at the Women’s African Cup of Nations.
