Ghana’s Black Queens were held to a 1-1 draw by West African rivals Mali in a thrilling Group C showdown at the Stade Municipal de Berkane on Friday, leaving their TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2025 knockout hopes hanging in the balance.
The match, full of intensity and drama, saw Alice Kusi and Aïssata Traoré each get on the scoresheet, but both nations will feel they left precious points on the pitch.
⚽ Early Spark for Ghana
Coming off a tough 2-0 defeat to South Africa in their group opener, Ghana knew only a win would truly revive their quarter-final chances. The Black Queens responded with urgency, dominating the opening minutes with aggressive forward play.
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Their pressure paid off in the 6th minute, when Kusi reacted fastest inside the box to finish after Doris Boaduwaa’s header was parried. It was a deserved lead and looked to set the tone.
🇲🇱 Mali Fights Back
Mali—already buoyed by a hard-fought win over Tanzania—struggled early but grew into the match through the skillful play of Saratou Traoré, Agueissa Diarra, and Aïssata Traoré.
Ghana spurned several chances to double their lead before the break, with Evelyn Badu, Boaduwaa, and Kusi all denied by the impressive Fatoumata Karentao in Mali’s goal.
That wastefulness proved costly.
⚖ Second-Half Equaliser and Tense Finish
In the 52nd minute, Mali found the breakthrough. Saratou Traoré sliced open the Ghanaian defence with a perfectly timed pass, and Aïssata Traoré coolly converted to level the score.
From then on, it was end-to-end action.
Ghana poured forward, with substitutes Grace Asantewaa, Jennifer Cudjoe, and Princella Adubea injecting urgency. But once again, the finishing touch proved elusive. Karentao, the standout performer, thwarted multiple late chances as Mali held firm.
🧮 Group Standings: What’s Next?
The result leaves Ghana in a precarious spot — third in Group C with just one point from two matches. They must now defeat Tanzania in their final group game and hope results elsewhere go their way.
Mali, on the other hand, climb to four points and are in control of their destiny going into the final round.
💬 Post-Match Talking Point:
“We played well but didn’t take our chances. It’s now or never,” said Ghana head coach Kim Björkegren, visibly disappointed but hopeful ahead of their final group clash.
📌 Match Summary:
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Ghana 1–1 Mali
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Goals: Alice Kusi (6’) | Aïssata Traoré (52’)
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Venue: Stade Municipal de Berkane
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Group C Standings: Mali – 4pts | Ghana – 1pt
Last Updated on April 7, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
