Over the weekend, Nora Häuptle, the head coach of the Black Queens, Ghana's national women's football team, found herself at Ricci Stadium, the home of U.S Sassuolo Calcio in the Italian Women's Serie A.
Coach Häuptle witnessed a thrilling match between U.S Sassuolo Calcio and Fiorentina.
The occasion wasn't just about enjoying the game; it was an opportunity for Häuptle to engage in fruitful discussions with the leadership of U.S. Sassuolo Calcio. She met with Women's Director Alessandro Terzi and Secretary Giorgio Gagliardi to explore avenues of mutual benefit between the Ghanaian team and the Italian club.
While discussions took center stage, Häuptle also had her eyes on Bénédicte Simon, a promising 26-year-old defender. Simon, who is on loan from Juventus Women to U.S Sassuolo Calcio, featured in the game's second half and played a crucial role in the last-minute decider that sealed the victory for U.S Sassuolo Calcio with a scoreline of 1-0 against Fiorentina.
Bénédicte Simon is of Ghanaian descent; she was born outside of Paris in Mantes-la-Jolie.
Simon's journey in the Serie A Femminile has been notable, with four appearances for U.S Sassuolo Calcio this season. Having joined Juventus Women in July 2023, her loan spell at U.S Sassuolo Calcio is set to conclude in June 2024.