By Nadia Ntiamoah
The Black Queens made the perfect start to their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over tournament debutants Cape Verde, boosting their hopes of securing a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Black Queens entered the tournament determined to erase memories of their disappointing start at the previous edition, where they opened with defeat.
This time, Kim Lars Björkegren’s side wasted little time asserting themselves, producing a disciplined display to collect all three points in their Group D opener.
He also won bronze at the 2023 African Games and has been an integral member of Ghana’s successful sprint relay teams at several continental championships.
The victory also extended Ghana’s impressive record against teams making their WAFCON debut, underlining the Black Queens’ experience and quality on the continental stage.
With a place in the semi-finals guaranteeing automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, Ghana knew a winning start would be crucial to their ambitions.
The breakthrough arrived just six minutes into the contest when defender Portia Boakye delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Doris Boaduwaa.
The striker timed her run brilliantly before calmly finishing past the Cape Verde goalkeeper to hand Ghana an early lead.
The goal settled the Black Queens, who enjoyed the greater share of possession despite both sides struggling at times to find rhythm during the opening exchanges.
Cape Verde found it difficult to create clear scoring opportunities, while Ghana looked the more dangerous team whenever they attacked.
Boaduwaa continued to trouble the Cape Verde defence and nearly doubled her tally midway through the first half. The Black Queens also threatened from several set-pieces but were unable to convert their opportunities.
At the other end, goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan remained alert whenever called upon, producing a composed performance to preserve the advantage.
Alice Kusi also played a key role in the attacking play, creating another excellent opportunity for Boaduwaa before halftime, but the forward was unable to add to her tally.
Despite dominating much of the first half, Ghana went into the break holding only a slender one-goal lead.
The Black Queens maintained their control after the restart and eventually secured the cushion their performance deserved.
Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area, and before Boaduwaa could connect, Cape Verde defender Eleia Vieira inadvertently turned the ball into her own net to hand Ghana a 2-0 advantage.
The own goal effectively ended Cape Verde’s hopes of a comeback as Ghana comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to claim a deserved victory.
The result sends the Black Queens temporarily to the top of Group D, pending the outcome of the other group fixture between Cameroon and Mali.
Ghana will now shift attention to a potentially decisive second group match against Cameroon on August 2, knowing another positive result would significantly strengthen their chances of reaching the knockout stage and moving a step closer to qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The convincing victory provides an encouraging platform for the Black Queens as they seek to reclaim their place among Africa’s elite women’s football nations after years of rebuilding.
