The Black Queens suffered their first defeat at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Cameroon in their second Group D match on Sunday.
A first-half penalty converted by Marie Gisele Ngah Manga proved decisive, ending Ghana’s unbeaten run and leaving the Black Queens with everything to play for in their final group game against Mali.
Cameroon took the lead after a lengthy VAR review determined that Benedicte Simon had handled the ball inside the penalty area. Manga calmly converted the resulting spot-kick, sending goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan the wrong way.
Ghana responded positively and created a number of scoring opportunities before halftime, with Doris Boaduwaa coming closest. However, the Cameroonian goalkeeper produced an excellent save to deny her from close range.
Seeking a way back into the contest, head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren made several attacking substitutions in the second half, including the introduction of Evelyn Badu, as the Black Queens increased the pressure on their opponents.
The changes injected fresh energy into Ghana’s attack, with Portia Boakye and Badu both causing problems for the Cameroonian defence.
Badu appeared to have restored parity midway through the second half, but celebrations were cut short after VAR ruled the goal out for offside.
Despite dominating large spells of the closing stages and pushing relentlessly for an equaliser, Ghana could not find a way past the resilient Indomitable Lionesses.
The result leaves the Black Queens needing victory against Mali in their final Group D match on August 6 to secure qualification for the knockout stage of the tournament.
