The Black Queens of Ghana stormed into the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with a stunning 4–1 win over Tanzania in their final Group C game on Monday night.
It was a must-win affair for both sides, but Ghana rose to the occasion with a clinical second-half performance that silenced the Twiga Stars and reignited their title hopes.
Pressure from the start
From kickoff, Ghana looked intent on seizing control. Coach Lars Björkegren’s decision to start striker Pricilla Adubea; replacing the suspended Doris Boaduwaa paid off early.
In the 11th minute, Adubea pressured Tanzania’s goalkeeper after a poor back pass, forcing the ball into the net for Ghana’s opener.
Despite the strong start, the Black Queens failed to capitalize on several first-half chances. That wastefulness would prove costly as Tanzania grew into the game and punished Ghana’s defensive lapse in the 40th minute.
Stumai Athuman found space from a tight angle to score the equalizer, swinging the momentum in Tanzania’s favor.
The tide turned in the 58th minute when Princess Marfo was brought down in the Tanzania box. Alice Kusi stepped up and calmly converted the penalty to restore Ghana’s lead.
Tanzania responded with urgency, pushing for an equalizer. But Ghana’s backline held firm, and substitutes Stella Nyamekye and Evelyn Badu came on to take control of the game in midfield.
Their impact was instant.
In the 85th minute, Nyamekye won a free kick at the edge of the box and floated a perfect delivery into the area. Badu met it with a sharp turn and finish to make it 3–1.
In the 89th minute, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah capped off a flowing counterattack, picking her spot and firing past the goalkeeper to seal the win. Her tireless performance earned her the Player of the Match award.
South Africa thrashed Mali 4–0 in the group’s other game, meaning Ghana leapfrogged both teams to finish second in the group with four points. The Banyana Banyana topped the group with seven.
With the result, Ghana books a place in the quarterfinals; showing resilience, squad depth, and attacking flair when it mattered most.
On to the next one…#BanyanaBanyana pic.twitter.com/oHdFWepKfl
— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) July 14, 2025
Final Group C standings
- South Africa – 7 pts
- Ghana – 4 pts
- Mali – 4 pts
- Tanzania – 1 pt
(Ghana advances ahead of Mali on goal difference.)
Quarter final here we come 🤫
We are the Black Queens 🇬🇭
#𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒔🇬🇭 #𝑶𝒖𝒓𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆𝑶𝒖𝒓𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 ⚽️💪🏾#TotalEnergies𝑾𝑨𝑭𝑪𝑶𝑵2024 pic.twitter.com/P2AmoG8AIr— Ghana Women National Teams 🇬🇭 (@GhanaWNT) July 14, 2025
The Black Queens now shift their focus to the knockout stage, where a new challenge awaits. But with their confidence restored and key players stepping up, Ghana will believe they have what it takes to go even further.
