BY ISSAH OLEGOR
Ghana’s Black Queens suffered their first defeat of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a narrow 1-0 loss to Cameroon in a fiercely contested Group D encounter, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
A first-half penalty converted by Marie Gisele Ngah Manga proved decisive as the Indomitable Lionesses claimed all three points, ending Ghana’s winning start to the tournament and setting up a decisive final group match against Mali.
The Black Queens entered the game full of confidence after opening their campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over tournament debutants Cape Verde. A second consecutive win would have significantly strengthened the chances of reaching the quarter-finals and moving closer to qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
However, Cameroon, making their return to the continental championship, produced a disciplined performance to frustrate Kim Lars Björkegren’s side.
The breakthrough came midway through the first half after a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Referee awarded Cameroon a penalty when Benedicte Simon was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the penalty area.
Marie Gisele Ngah Manga confidently stepped forward and sent Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan the wrong way from the penalty spot to hand Cameroon the lead.
The goal shifted momentum in favour of the Central Africans, who dominated possession for much of the opening half and controlled the tempo of the contest.
Despite conceding, Ghana continued to search for an equaliser, with Doris Boaduwaa coming closest when she found space inside the penalty area, only to be denied from close range by the Cameroonian goalkeeper.
The Black Queens finished the first half strongly but were unable to find the breakthrough before the interval as Cameroon carried their slender advantage into the dressing room.
Seeking a response after the restart, head coach Kim Lars Björkegren introduced Evelyn Badu to add fresh attacking impetus.
The substitution injected greater urgency into Ghana’s attack as the Black Queens pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Portia Boakye and Badu both created promising opportunities, but Cameroon remained resolute defensively.
Ghana thought they had finally levelled the score when Evelyn Badu found the back of the net, sparking celebrations among the Black Queens players.
However, those celebrations were cut short after the goal was ruled out for offside in the build-up, denying Ghana what would have been a crucial equaliser.
The Black Queens continued to press in the closing stages, but Cameroon defended resolutely to preserve their one-goal advantage and secure a valuable victory.
The defeat leaves Ghana with everything to play for heading into their final Group D fixture against Mali on August 6.
