Ghana secured a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after battling to a 1-1 draw against Mali in a tense Group D decider on Thursday in Casablanca.
The Black Queens knew that avoiding defeat would almost certainly be enough to reach the knockout stage, and they delivered under pressure. Although Mali fought back strongly after the break, Ghana held firm to book their place in the last eight at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium.
Evelyn Badu gave Ghana the lead deep into first half stoppage time after finishing a fine pass from Comfort Yeboah. However, Kadidiatou Diabate equalised five minutes into the second half to set up a nervy finish as Mali pushed desperately for the winning goal they needed.
The result, combined with Cape Verde’s 1-1 draw against Cameroon in the other Group D fixture, saw Cameroon finish top of the group with seven points. Ghana claimed second place with four points, while Mali also ended on four points but missed out on qualification because of an inferior goal difference. Tournament debutants Cape Verde finished with one point.
For Ghana, the draw marked another important step under Swedish coach Kim Lars Björkegren. The Black Queens remain in contention for the continental title and continue their pursuit of qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The match carried huge significance after Ghana’s narrow defeat to Cameroon in their previous outing. That result left the Black Queens needing at least a draw against a Mali side equally determined to reach the knockout stage.
Both teams approached the contest cautiously. Ghana controlled possession for long spells and tried to dictate the pace, while Mali stayed compact and looked dangerous on the counterattack.
Mali suffered an early setback after Aïssata Kanté picked up an injury and left the pitch after just 22 minutes, forcing coach Birama Konaté into an early tactical adjustment.
Despite Ghana’s greater share of possession, clear chances remained limited as both teams understood the importance of avoiding costly mistakes.
Just when the first half appeared destined to end without a goal, Ghana struck. Deep into stoppage time, Comfort Yeboah delivered an excellent pass into the penalty area, and Evelyn Badu calmly finished to give the Black Queens a priceless 1-0 lead.
The goal lifted Ghana’s confidence and sparked celebrations on the bench, with qualification moving within reach.
Mali responded immediately after the restart. Only five minutes into the second half, Kadidiatou Diabate found space inside the Ghana penalty area and finished confidently to level the score at 1-1.
The equaliser changed the momentum. Mali pushed higher up the pitch and searched for the goal that would send them into the quarter-finals, while Ghana defended with discipline and looked to exploit spaces on the break.
Bjorkegren refreshed his side by introducing Stella Nyamekye for Chantelle Boye Hlorkah before sending on Doris Boaduwaa, Linda Owusu and Ajegipina Zakaria to inject fresh energy into the attack.
Mali also made attacking substitutions as both coaches searched for a decisive breakthrough during the closing stages.
However, neither side could find another goal despite several promising attacks.
When the final whistle sounded, Ghana celebrated a hard earned qualification to the quarter-finals. In contrast, Mali’s players were left heartbroken as their campaign ended despite collecting four points from three matches.
