Ghana midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe says the Black Queens must show confidence and determination when they face Mali in a decisive 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Group D match.
Ghana need a positive result to secure their place in the knockout stage and keep their hopes of continental success alive. Victory would guarantee the Black Queens a quarter-final place and maintain their ambition of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The match follows Ghana’s narrow 1-0 defeat by Cameroon, a result that has increased the importance of their final Group D fixture. Marie Gisele Ngah Manga scored from the penalty spot in the first half to give Cameroon the lead.
Ghana thought they had found an equaliser after the break when Badu put the ball in the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Despite that setback, Cudjoe believes the squad has used the defeat as a learning experience and is ready to respond against Mali. She accepts that Ghana face a strong opponent, but says the team will prepare carefully and remain focused on carrying out its plan.
“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 Black Queens began the tournament positively, beating Cape Verde in their opening game before Cameroon ended their winning start. Their attention is now fully on Mali, with the outcome set to determine whether Ghana advance to the next stage.
Cudjoe said preparation, discipline and collective effort would be central to Ghana’s chances. The midfielder is confident the squad can deal with the pressure surrounding the fixture and produce a performance that reflects its quality.
Ghana and Mali have met before, but Cudjoe expects their latest contest to be different from last year’s meeting. She has warned that familiarity will not make the challenge any easier, with both sides competing for progress in the tournament.
For the Black Queens, the equation is straightforward: a win would guarantee qualification for the quarter-finals. It would also keep alive Ghana’s wider objective of competing for the continental title and securing a route towards the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Ghana have already demonstrated their ability to perform in the competition, but their defeat by Cameroon means there is little margin for error. The team must now combine the confidence shown against Cape Verde with the discipline required to avoid another costly setback.
With their knockout-stage ambitions at stake, the Black Queens are determined to respond strongly against Mali and underline their belief that they can establish themselves among Africa’s leading women’s football teams.
