CAIRO: The Black Sharks, Ghana's national beach soccer team, saw their dreams of qualifying for the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup come to an early end after being eliminated from the group stage of the Beach Soccer African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt. Despite securing a decisive victory over Tanzania with a score of 10-3 in their final group match, the team was unable to advance to the semifinals. According to Ghana News Agency, inadequate preparation was a significant factor in the Black Sharks' inability to progress. Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association Beach Soccer Committee, attributed the team's struggles to a lack of sufficient training time before the tournament. "We lost to well-prepared and experienced sides, which were Egypt and Morocco. The one-week training ahead of the tournament was not enough to give the boys the maximum and adequate preparation," he stated. The Black Sharks suffered defeats in their initial group matches, losing 6-3 to the host nation Egyp t and 5-2 to Morocco. These losses hindered their chances of advancing in the competition. Mr. Ankrah expressed hope that the presence of Mr. Kingsley Osei-Bonsu, Executive Council Member of the Ghana Football Association, at the tournament would lead to increased support for the team in the future. Coach Daniel Neequaye Kotey acknowledged that the team's primary goal of qualifying for the 2025 World Cup in Seychelles was no longer attainable following their group stage exit. He urged Ghanaians to continue supporting the team as they prepare for future tournaments with the aim of securing a continental title. Egypt and Morocco advanced to the semifinals, occupying the top spots in the group with nine and six points, respectively. Ghana finished third with three points, while Tanzania ended in fourth place without any points. The Black Sharks will compete for fifth place against Mozambique, providing another opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. In the semifinals, defending champions Senegal will f ace Egypt, while Morocco will take on Mauritania. The two finalists will earn the right to represent Africa at the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Seychelles.