Ghana, Cameroon win WAFCON openers, set up heavyweight clash
Ghana and Cameroon made winning starts to their WAFCON campaigns, defeating Cape Verde and Mali respectively to take early control of Group D.
Ghana and Cameroon made winning starts to their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaigns on Wednesday, defeating Cape Verde and Mali respectively to seize early control of Group D. The Black Queens eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory over tournament debutants Cape Verde in Casablanca, while the Indomitable Lionesses overcame Mali 2-1 thanks to a match-winning brace from Ngah Manga.
Ghana began their quest for continental glory in impressive fashion, wasting little time to assert their authority as Doris Boaduwaa fired them into the lead after just six minutes. The early breakthrough allowed the four-time finalists to dictate the tempo and settle into a comfortable rhythm against a Cape Verde side making history with their maiden appearance at the continental championship.
Cape Verde returned for the second half hoping to mount a response, but Ghana effectively ended the contest nine minutes after the restart when defender Eleia Vieira inadvertently turned the ball into her own net in the 54th minute. The own goal gave the Black Queens the breathing space they needed, allowing head coach Kim Lars Björkegren to rotate his squad while maintaining complete control. Cape Verde’s difficult evening ended on a sour note deep into stoppage time when Klaydiana Borges was shown a straight red card.
For Nigeria, the results in Group D are a reminder that the competition is fierce. The Super Falcons, who lost their opening match to Malawi, now face an uphill battle to qualify from their own group. Ghana’s impressive display and Cameroon’s resilience suggest that Nigeria’s path to an 11th title will be anything but straightforward.
This echoes the 2022 WAFCON, when Ghana also started strongly before falling short in the semi-finals. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a reminder that WAFCON is becoming more competitive.
The winners: Ghana and Cameroon, who have taken early control of Group D. The losers: Cape Verde and Mali, who must now recover from defeats; and Nigeria, whose opening loss means they must now win their remaining matches.
Bottom Line: Ghana and Cameroon have set the pace in Group D. A heavyweight clash awaits. Nigeria is watching from a distance, hoping to recover from their own nightmare start.