Head coach of the Black Queens, Kim Lars Björkegren, says Ghana’s progress to the semifinals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is the result of steady growth and unity within the squad.
For the first time in nine years, the Black Queens have reached the semifinals of the WAFCON after a tense 4-2 penalty shootout win over Algeria following a goalless draw in 120 minutes.
Reacting after the match, Björkegren praised the team’s resilience and development through the tournament.
I think we played pretty well. In football, sometimes you’re lucky, sometimes not, and I believe it balanced out today. Penalties can go either way, but this group deserved the win
🎉 SEMIS BOUND!
The Black Queens have done it! 🇬🇭🔥
With heart, grit, and unstoppable passion, the Queens storms into the WAFCON Semi-Finals!Next stop: Glory 🏆
##𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒔🇬🇭 #𝑶𝒖𝒓𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆𝑶𝒖𝒓𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 ⚽️💪🏾#TotalEnergies𝑾𝑨𝑭𝑪𝑶𝑵2024 pic.twitter.com/6rNJ95vaYA
— Ghana Women National Teams 🇬🇭 (@GhanaWNT) July 19, 2025
The Swedish coach stressed that the most important thing is how the team continues to grow.
In tournaments, it’s rarely the team that wins the first game 5-0 that goes all the way. It’s usually the team that keeps improving match by match. That’s what we’re doing.
Björkegren also highlighted how new leaders are emerging in the team.
What’s amazing about this group is how they keep pushing forward. Players are stepping up, taking their chances, and showing qualities we hadn’t seen before.
The Black Queens will now prepare for a crucial semifinal showdown with host nation Morocco on Tuesday.
