Ghana’s Black Queens have been eliminated from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a 2-1 defeat to debutants Malawi in their quarter-final clash in Rabat.
Ghana took the lead in the 70th minute when Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah finished well to put the Black Queens in front.
However, their advantage lasted only five minutes. Malawi responded quickly, with Temwa Chawinga finding the equaliser to bring the game level.
The Malawians returned from the break with greater confidence and continued to put pressure on the Ghanaian defence.
Their persistence paid off in the 79th minute when Rose Kadzere scored the winning goal to complete Malawi’s comeback.
Ghana pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages but struggled to find a way through a resolute Malawi defence.
The defeat brings the Black Queens’ campaign to an end at the quarter-final stage, while Malawi advance to the semi-finals for the first time in the history of the competition.
The result also means Ghana have missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The Black Queens, however, still have a chance to qualify for the global tournament through the intercontinental play-offs, where they will face Côte d’Ivoire for a place at the 2027 World Cup.
