Ghana’s Black Queens must beat Mali in their final 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) group-stage match to guarantee a place in the quarter-finals, with midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe warning that the contest will be a different challenge from their previous meeting.
Ghana’s hopes of progressing were put on hold after a narrow 1-0 defeat by Cameroon. The result means the Black Queens’ qualification will be decided by their final group fixture against Mali, making the match a crucial test of their ability to respond under pressure.
Cudjoe said Ghana respected Mali’s quality but would approach the game with confidence, discipline and determination. She also stressed that familiarity between the teams would not make the match predictable.
“We’ve played them before; they are a good team. We played them last year. We will approach it how we are approaching it, making sure we do what is right. It is not going to be the same as last year,” Cudjoe said.
The midfielder was speaking to the media on Wednesday ahead of the decisive encounter. Her comments came after Ghana’s opening defeat delayed their route into the knockout stages and increased the importance of their final group game.
Ghana and Mali last met on 11 July 2025 in a WAFCON group-stage fixture, when they played out a 1-1 draw. The Black Queens controlled much of the possession and managed 18 shots, but could not turn their dominance into victory.
That result provides some recent context for the fixture, although Cudjoe believes the next meeting must be treated on its own terms. Mali remain a familiar opponent, but Ghana will be seeking a stronger outcome after failing to take all three points against Cameroon.
A victory would send the Black Queens into the quarter-finals and preserve their hopes of winning the continental tournament. It would also move them closer to a second major objective: ending Ghana’s wait for World Cup qualification.
Ghana need to reach the WAFCON semi-finals to secure a place at the global tournament. As a result, progression from the group would represent more than recovery from the Cameroon defeat, with the team’s World Cup ambitions also dependent on a deep run in the competition.
Cudjoe is confident Ghana possess enough quality to cope with the circumstances and reveal their character when the pressure is greatest. The squad now has one final opportunity in the group stage to convert that belief into the result required.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 20:00 GMT.
