The Black Queens have booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a determined 1-1 draw with Mali in a high-pressure Group D encounter.

Ghana delivered a composed performance at Casablanca’s Larbi Zaouli Stadium to secure progression from the group stage, holding firm against a Mali team that pushed relentlessly in search of the win needed to extend their tournament campaign.

The game came alive just before halftime when Evelyn Badu fired Ghana into the lead. The advantage was short-lived, however, as Kadidiatou Diabate equalised early in the second half, creating a tense battle for the remaining minutes.

The final group standings saw Cameroon take first place with seven points after their 1-1 draw against Cape Verde. Ghana finished second with four points, advancing ahead of Mali due to a superior goal difference. Cape Verde, competing at the tournament for the first time, ended their campaign with one point.

Qualification marks a positive continuation of Kim Lars Björkegren’s work with the Black Queens, who are now through to the WAFCON quarter-finals and remain in contention for a route towards the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Ghana went into the match aware that avoiding defeat would likely be enough to progress after defeating Cape Verde 2-0 in their opening game and losing narrowly to Cameroon. Mali entered with an identical four-point tally but knew only victory would secure their place in the last eight.

The importance of the match was evident from the start, with both teams adopting a cautious approach. Ghana controlled much of the early possession, while Mali stayed compact and waited for opportunities to attack quickly.

The Lady Eagles suffered an early blow when Aïssata Kanté picked up an injury in the 22nd minute, forcing coach Birama Konaté to make an early change.

Although Ghana looked more comfortable in possession, neither side created many clear chances during a tightly contested first half.

Ghana strike at the perfect moment

The breakthrough arrived at the most crucial time.

In added time before the interval, Comfort Yeboah delivered an impressive ball into the penalty area, where Evelyn Badu showed excellent movement and composure to beat the goalkeeper and hand Ghana a 1-0 advantage.

The goal appeared to put Ghana in control of their qualification hopes heading into the break.

Mali fight back after halftime

Mali responded immediately after the restart, refusing to allow Ghana to settle.

Five minutes into the second period, Kadidiatou Diabate found the back of the net to bring the score level and revive Mali’s chances of reaching the knockout rounds.

The equaliser transformed the momentum of the contest, with Mali pushing higher up the pitch and applying greater pressure on Ghana’s defence.

The Black Queens absorbed the pressure with maturity, maintaining their shape and discipline while looking for chances to punish Mali on quick transitions.

Their resilience ultimately proved enough as Ghana held on to claim the draw required to continue their WAFCON journey.