Ghana’s women’s national football team, the Black Queens, have earned a place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024. They secured this achievement with a dominant 4–1 victory over Tanzania in their final Group C match in Morocco.
The Queens had a tough start to the tournament. They opened with a 2–0 defeat to defending champions South Africa and followed that up with a 1–1 draw against Mali. With just one point from their first two games, they needed a strong result to advance.
They delivered. Ghana opened the scoring early in the 12th minute after a mix-up in the Tanzanian defence presented Princella Adubea with an easy finish. Tanzania responded with a goal before halftime, but Ghana’s Alice Kusi restored their advantage from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute . Late goals by substitute Evelyn Badu and attacker Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah sealed the 4–1 scoreline.
Coach Kim Lars Björkegren praised the team’s performance, noting their improved unity, physicality, and control. He expressed pride that his side had finally matched their positive in-match statistics with actual results. The relentless efforts of the players have resulted in Ghana reaching the knockouts for the first time since 2016.
Forward Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah praised the collective spirit of the team, saying the players stayed together from the first to the last minute and supported each other—even after conceding a goal she took responsibility for.
Finishing second in Group C with four points, Ghana advanced automatically to the quarter-finals. They now face Algeria in the next round on Saturday, July 19, at the Municipal Stadium in Berkane.
This marks a return to the knockout rounds for the Black Queens, who are determined to build on their success and chase their first WAFCON title. It also underlines the positive transformation under Coach Björkegren, whose tactical adjustments and focus on teamwork have paid dividends in this tournament.
