BY Nadia Ntiamoah
Ghana Black Queens have made history by booking a spot in the semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Algeria in a tense penalty shootout in Berkane, Morocco on Saturday afternoon.
The team’s goalkeeper, Cynthia Konlan, was the star of the shootout, pulling off two crucial saves to help the team reach the last four for the first time in nine years.
Tense Match
The match was a closely contested one, with both teams creating scoring opportunities.
The Black Queens thought they had broken the deadlock midway through the first half when Stella Nyamekye found the net, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check.
Ghana continued to push for an opener, with Doris Boaduwaa and Chantelle Hlorkah both threatening the Algerian defence before the break.
Penalty Shootout
The match went into extra time after the regular 90 minutes ended goalless, and it was clear that the winner would be decided by penalties.
In the shootout, Konlan’s heroics between the posts made the difference as Ghana triumphed 4-2 on penalties. Konlan’s two crucial saves were instrumental in securing the win for the Black Queens.
Semi-Final Matchup
The Black Queens will now face hosts Morocco in the semi-finals.
This will be a tough matchup for the team, but they will be confident after their penalty shootout win over Algeria.
The team will need to play to their strengths and capitalize on any scoring opportunities they get if they are to progress to the final.
