Ghana’s Black Queens secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Mali in their final Group C match on Wednesday.
Ghana knew a positive result would be enough to take them through to the knockout stage and produced a disciplined performance against a determined Malian side.
The Black Queens made the breakthrough in the first half, taking advantage of one of the few clear opportunities in the opening period to move ahead. The goal gave Ghana an important advantage and increased the pressure on Mali, who needed to respond to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Mali returned from the interval with greater urgency and raised the intensity of the contest. They created several opportunities as they searched for an equaliser and eventually levelled the match.
With the score at 1-1, Ghana remained composed during the closing stages. The Black Queens managed the game carefully, protecting the result they needed to progress from the group phase.
The draw leaves Ghana with four points from Group C and confirms their place in the last eight of the competition. Their reward is a quarter-final meeting with Malawi.
The result means Ghana avoided defeat in the decisive fixture and ensured that their campaign at the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will continue beyond the group stage. The Black Queens’ organisation and discipline proved important as Mali pushed for a winning goal after the break.
Ghana’s ability to hold on to the draw was enough to settle the qualification picture in their favour. Although Mali increased their attacking pressure in the second half, the Black Queens stayed focused and prevented the match from slipping away.
The final Group C fixture therefore ended with both teams sharing the points, but it was Ghana who advanced to the quarter-finals. Their next challenge will be against Malawi, with the Black Queens now preparing for a knockout-stage contest after finishing the group phase on four points.
The 1-1 scoreline reflected a match in which Ghana established control through their first-half lead before Mali reacted strongly after the interval. Ghana’s response to that pressure ensured they collected the result required to move into the last eight of WAFCON 2026.
