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Ghana secured their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 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.
CAF reports that 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.
Read More: Cameroon set up quarter-final clash with Nigeria after Cape Verde stalemate
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.
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.
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