Ghana’s Black Queens have surrendered the top spot in Group D of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in Rabat on Sunday evening.
The loss handed the Indomitable Lionesses their second straight win of the tournament and put them in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals, while Ghana now face a crucial final group-stage match.
Cameroon’s decisive moment came in the 19th minute after a VAR review resulted in a penalty being awarded against Ghana.
Marie Ngah Manga stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, calmly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to score her third goal of the tournament. Remarkably, all three of Cameroon’s goals in Morocco have come from the in-form forward.
The Black Queens responded well after falling behind, enjoying periods of possession and creating several opportunities. However, they struggled to find a way through a well-organised Cameroonian defence that held firm until the final whistle.
The defeat also continues Cameroon’s strong record against Ghana in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The Indomitable Lionesses have held the upper hand in their meetings since the two sides first faced each other in 1998.
Cameroon now lead Group D with six points from two matches and are on the verge of securing their place in the quarter-finals.
Ghana remain on three points but could drop to third depending on the result of the other Group D match between Mali and Cape Verde.
The Black Queens will now turn their attention to their final group game against Mali. A victory would greatly strengthen Ghana’s chances of reaching the knockout stage, while another slip could leave their WAFCON hopes hanging by a thread.
With everything still to play for, Ghana will need to show greater cutting edge and composure when they face Mali in their decisive final group encounter.
