Black Queens Hold Mali to Reach WAFCON 2026 Quarter-finals

Ghana’s Black Queens secured a place in the 2026 WAFCON quarter-finals. They earned it after a 1-1 draw with Mali in Group D.

The result was enough to secure Ghana’s progression to the knockout stage. Ghana finished as Group D runners-up, capping a resilient campaign in a highly competitive group.

The Black Queens took the lead deep into first-half stoppage time. Evelyn Badu connected home a cross from the right flank to give Ghana a deserved advantage heading into the break.

Mali responded strongly after the restart and restored parity five minutes into the second half. Kadidiatou Diabate curled home a superb free-kick to keep the Malians’ hopes of advancing from the group stage alive.

Ghana thought they had regained the lead when Evelyn Badu found the back of the net for a second time. However, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review ruled the goal out for offside, denying the Black Queens what would have been the match-winning strike.

Both sides pushed for a late winner in an entertaining contest, creating several chances, but neither team was able to find the decisive goal before the final whistle.

The draw proved sufficient for Ghana to secure a place in the last eight, where the Black Queens will face Group C winners Malawi in the quarter-finals. Mali, meanwhile, were left to await the outcome of other group matches to determine their fate in the competition.