Mali look to invoke 2018 spirit in Ghana showdown
When Mali come up against a wounded Ghana side in the last Group D encounter, the two West African nations will be fighting for the only available slot to the quarterfinals of the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 in Morocco.
The Lady Eagles, who are competing in their ninth WAFCON edition, are eyeing qualification to the knockout rounds for a third consecutive time. A fourth place finish in 2018 in Ghana followed by a quarterfinal exit in last year’s edition showcases their growth in recent years.
But standing in their way are the Black Queens who kicked off the competition with a 2-0 victory over debutants Cabo Verde but a 1-0 loss to Cameroon in a highly contested match means that they must produce a positive result to progress to the last eight.
Considering the drama in each of the decisive matches of Groups A, B and C, Ghana have their work cut out and do not want to live it late as they look towards building on their bronze win last year.
History can repeat itself
2018 was a great year for Mali. The Lady Eagles started their campaign with a 2-1 loss to Cameroon before turning their fate around and stunning hosts Ghana 2-1. In their last group stage match, a 3-2 win over Algeria ensured that Mali made it out of a tough Group A.
In retrospect, the result against Ghana defined their tournament. And when the two sides met again in 2025, their 1-1 draw in Berkane brought back memories of 2018 with the Black Queens captain Portia Boakye, a veteran from the 2018 squad, showing off her leadership skills in making sure that what happened in Accra was never repeated.
This context is not lost on Thursday’s face-off at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
“We want to go into this game as warriors. We came here for the competition. We shall not forget any simple detail. In our heads, we are already focused, very motivated and also making sure that we are not forgetting any details for this match. We just need to come in with a great deal of energy. We just need to get the three points that we need to qualify,” Birama Konaté, Mali’s head coach emphasizes.
This is the sixth time that the two sides are meeting at the WAFCON with Ghana winning the first three matches in 2002, 2006 and 2016.
Malian defender Teninsoun Sissoko who plies her trade for Paris FC is grateful to be at the WAFCON and to carry the hopes of many a Malian not just in the country but across the world.
“We represent Mali and Malians everywhere we go. This gives us the desire to win. We are lucky to be here. We want to go and win this game for the Malian people. We want to give ourselves the possibility to go on and win this game. Nothing is written in stone.”
Of World Cup dreams and peaking at the right time
Following the loss to Mali in the group stages of the WAFCON 2018 edition and an eventually surprising early exit from the tournament, Women’s Football in Ghana took a strong hit. It took the Black Queens a strong campaign to bag bronze at last year’s edition for any critics to embrace the new wave and era of the team.
Since last July, Ghana have gone on to beat Russia 4-0 in an international friendly match and held their own in a 2-0 loss to the reigning European champions England in Birmingham.
The above results have turned out to be an important piece in the growth of this Black Queens side that continues to churn out debutants at the WAFCON with grace amidst the pressure of tournament football.
It is against this background that Ghana’s Swedish head coach Kim Lars Björkegren strongly believes that despite their 1-0 loss to Cameroon, his side is still in strong contention for a place in the knockout stages that would eventually avail them a chance to fight for a ticket to the semifinals and eventually the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.
“It is always about the balance. If something does not work sometimes, you have to make some changes. You cannot just react and change. When you look at the last one year, we have recorded some good results. Just because you have a bad day, a bad 30 minutes vs Cameroon, you cannot change everything. You have to still believe in the group. If I just react because of that one day, it shows that I don’t believe in them. I still believe in them,” Björkegren explains.
The objective is to build on everything that the team has achieved in the last 18 months. The Black Queens see themselves as a team that deserves a place on the high table of African Football. But to return to the medal brackets, they must overcome a stubborn Mali side.
“Pressure is a privilege. We have been in these moments like this. We know what we have to do. We will show up. No matter how the game goes, we know what we need to do to win,” Ghana assistant captain Jennifer Cudjoe says confidently.
Ghana have won nine of their 11 previous final group games, with one draw and one defeat.
The Stat of the Day
Mali have lost seven of their eight previous final group games. Their only victory was a 3-2 win over Algeria in 2018.