Ghana secured their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON 2026) after battling to a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Mali in a tense Group D decider on Thursday.
The Black Queens knew that avoiding defeat would almost certainly be enough to progress to the knockout stages, and they did just that despite being forced to withstand a spirited second-half fightback from a determined Mali side at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Evelyn Badu looked to have put Ghana firmly on course for qualification when she struck deep into first-half stoppage time after being picked out by Comfort Yeboah. However, Kadidiatou Diabate restored parity five minutes after the restart to set up a nervy finish as Mali chased the victory they needed to reach the last eight.
The result, coupled with Cape Verde’s 1-1 draw against Cameroon in the other Group D fixture, ensured Cameroon finished top of the group with seven points while Ghana claimed second place on four points.
Mali exited the tournament on goal difference despite also finishing with four points, while tournament debutants Cape Verde ended their impressive first campaign with one point.
For Ghana, the draw represented another important milestone under Swedish coach Kim Lars Björkegren as the Black Queens kept alive their dream of returning to the latter stages of the continental championship and maintaining hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Ghana deliver when it mattered most
The build-up to the contest had centred on Ghana’s response following their narrow defeat to Cameroon in their previous outing.
That setback had left the Black Queens needing a positive result against a Mali side equally desperate to qualify, setting up one of the most intriguing final group matches of the tournament.
As expected, the opening exchanges were fiercely contested.
Ghana enjoyed long spells of possession and attempted to dictate the tempo, while Mali remained organised and looked to exploit opportunities on the counter-attack.
The Lady Eagles suffered an early setback when Aïssata Kanté had to leave the field through injury after just 22 minutes, forcing coach Birama Konaté into an early reshuffle.
Despite Ghana’s territorial advantage, clear-cut opportunities remained scarce as both sides displayed the caution expected from a match carrying so much significance.
Just when it appeared the teams would head into the interval goalless, Ghana found the breakthrough.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Comfort Yeboah delivered an inviting pass into the penalty area and Evelyn Badu made no mistake, calmly finishing to hand the Black Queens a priceless 1-0 lead.
The goal sparked jubilant celebrations among the Ghanaian bench, knowing it placed them on course for a place in the quarter-finals.
Mali refuse to surrender
If Ghana believed the goal would settle their nerves, Mali had other ideas.
The West Africans emerged from the break with renewed purpose and were rewarded almost immediately.
Only five minutes into the second half, Kadidiatou Diabate found space inside the Ghana penalty area before finishing clinically to restore parity and breathe new life into Mali’s qualification hopes.
The equaliser transformed the contest.
Mali pressed higher up the pitch, sensing an opportunity to repeat the heroics of 2018 when they famously defeated Ghana at the continental finals.
Ghana, meanwhile, were forced to defend with discipline while continuing to search for openings on the break.
Björkegren responded by introducing fresh attacking options, with Stella Nyamekye replacing Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah before Doris Boaduwaa, Linda Owusu and Ajegipina Zakaria were all sent on as the Black Queens sought renewed energy during the closing stages.
Mali also threw on attacking reinforcements as both coaches searched for the decisive goal.
Yet despite several promising moments at either end, neither side could find a winner.
As the final whistle sounded, Ghana’s players celebrated knowing the draw had secured their place in the knockout rounds, while disappointment was evident among the Malian squad, whose campaign ended despite collecting four points.
Quarter-final dream remains alive
Before kick-off, Björkegren had urged his players not to lose faith after their defeat to Cameroon, insisting the Black Queens had shown enough progress over the past year to believe they belonged among Africa’s leading teams.
His faith was rewarded.
Although Ghana were unable to claim all three points, the Black Queens demonstrated the composure required in tournament football to navigate one of the competition’s most demanding groups.
Their reward is a place in the quarter-finals, where the stakes become even greater.
With the expanded Women’s Africa Cup of Nations serving as a pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Ghana remain firmly in contention to achieve their long-term objective of returning to football’s biggest global stage.
For Mali, the disappointment will be immense after another spirited performance, but the Lady Eagles once again showed why they remain one of the continent’s most competitive emerging sides.
For Ghana, however, the mission continues.
The Black Queens have negotiated the first hurdle. Now they will hope their journey in Morocco has only just begun.
SOURCE: CAF ONLINE
