Ghana’s Black Queens have advanced to the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026 after earning a crucial 1-1 draw against Mali in a dramatic Group D finale on Thursday night.
Playing at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Ghana showed resilience and tactical discipline to claim the point needed to move into the knockout stage, despite facing heavy pressure from a Mali side determined to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Evelyn Badu put Ghana ahead just before the interval after converting a well-worked opportunity deep into first-half stoppage time. However, Mali responded quickly after the break, with Kadidiatou Diabate restoring parity five minutes into the second half to set up a tense closing period.
The result, combined with Cape Verde’s 1-1 draw with Cameroon in the group’s other match, confirmed Cameroon as Group D winners with seven points. Ghana finished second with four points, securing qualification ahead of Mali on goal difference, while debutants Cape Verde exited the competition with one point.
The achievement represents another milestone for head coach Kim Lars Björkegren, as Ghana returns to the WAFCON quarter-finals and maintains hopes of progressing towards qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Black Queens entered the decisive fixture knowing a draw would likely be enough after starting their campaign with a 2-0 win over Cape Verde before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Cameroon. Mali, meanwhile, needed all three points to guarantee advancement.
Both teams began cautiously, aware of the importance of the result. Ghana enjoyed more possession in the opening stages, moving the ball patiently, while Mali adopted a compact defensive approach and looked to exploit spaces on the counter.
Mali were forced into an early adjustment when Aïssata Kanté suffered an injury in the 22nd minute and was replaced, leading to a tactical reshuffle by coach Birama Konaté.
Despite Ghana’s control of possession, clear opportunities were difficult to create as both sides defended with discipline.
Badu delivers before the break
With the first half seemingly heading towards a goalless conclusion, Ghana produced the moment that changed the game.
Comfort Yeboah picked out a fine pass into the box, allowing Evelyn Badu to make a perfectly timed run before calmly finishing past the Mali goalkeeper to give the Black Queens a 1-0 lead.
The goal provided a huge boost for Ghana, with players and officials celebrating a strike that appeared to put them on course for the next stage.
Diabate restores Mali’s hope
Mali refused to surrender after the restart and quickly found their equaliser.
Just five minutes into the second half, Kadidiatou Diabate broke into a dangerous position inside Ghana’s penalty area and produced a composed finish to make it 1-1.
The equaliser lifted Mali’s confidence as they increased their attacking pressure, knowing only a victory would guarantee their qualification.
Ghana, however, remained organised under pressure, defending as a unit while searching for opportunities on the counter-attack to secure the result they needed.
