Ghana’s Black Queens have secured qualification to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco after playing out a 1-1 draw with Mali in their final Group D fixture.
The result was enough for Ghana to progress, having needed at least a draw to confirm their place in the knockout stage of the tournament.
The Black Queens started strongly and took the lead in the first half through Evelyn Badu, who headed home a well-delivered cross from Comfort Yeboah.
The goal followed a brilliant attacking move involving Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, whose play on the wing created the opportunity before Comfort Yeboah delivered the decisive cross for Badu.
The match against Mali marked the first start of the tournament for both Evelyn Badu and Comfort Yeboah, with Comfort making her first appearance of the competition.
Ghana continued to dominate proceedings after taking the lead, with Doris Boaduwaa coming close on several occasions but unable to find the back of the net.
Mali were forced into an early change in the first half after goalkeeper Karentao suffered an injury while making a save and had to be replaced.
The Black Queens entered the second half with the advantage but Mali responded quickly, drawing level through Diabaté, whose free-kick effort took a deflection before finding the net.
Ghana thought they had regained the lead when Evelyn Badu scored again, but the goal was ruled out for offside. It was the second time at the tournament that Badu had seen a goal disallowed due to an offside decision.
Head coach Kim Lars Björkegren made changes as Ghana searched for a winning goal, introducing Stella Nyamekye for Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, while Ajegipena Zakaria and Linda Owusu Ansah replaced Doris Boaduwaa and Evelyn Badu.
Despite Ghana’s efforts to secure all three points, the game ended 1-1, a result that confirmed their place in the last eight.
Captain Portia Boakye was named Woman of the Match after another influential performance as Ghana controlled large portions of the encounter.
The Black Queens finished second in Group D with four points, level on points with Mali but advanced ahead of them due to a superior goal difference.
Cameroon topped the group after recording two wins and a draw, including a 1-1 result against Cape Verde in their final group match. Cameroon will face Nigeria in the quarterfinals, while Ghana will battle Malawi on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
The 2026 WAFCON also serves as a qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with a quarterfinal victory enough to secure qualification for the global tournament.
