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Ghana’s Black Queens head coach, Kim Björkegren, has affirmed the team's readiness ahead of their must-win fixture against Mali in the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
With pressure mounting after their opening loss, the Queens are determined to bounce back strongly.
The decisive Group C encounter will take place on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 16:00 GMT, where Ghana must secure all three points to keep hopes alive of progressing to the next round.
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The team currently sits bottom of the group after a 2-0 defeat to defending champions South Africa.
Mali, on the other hand, are in a more favourable position after a narrow 1-0 win over Tanzania. A victory on Friday will see them through to the next stage of the competition.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Björkegren acknowledged Mali’s attacking threat and the challenges ahead but remains confident in his team’s preparation.
We are playing against a good team. They have especially a couple of good attacking players, so it’s going to be a difficult one, a little bit tricky, I will say
He told CAF.
We have spent many hours watching the opponents, so we know their strengths and weaknesses. The most important thing is that we attack this game in our way.
Despite their loss to South Africa, Ghana showed promising signs.
The Black Queens recorded 13 shots at goal, surpassing Banyana Banyana’s tally, and also earned four corners, three more than their opponents. These metrics offer encouragement as the team heads into a decisive match.
Historically, Ghana has had the upper hand against Mali at WAFCON, winning three out of their four previous encounters:
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2-0 in 2022
1-0 in 2006
3-1 in 2016
However, in 2018, Mali shocked Ghana with a historic 1-0 victory on Ghanaian soil, their only win over the Black Queens at the tournament.
Mali head coach Mohamed, who has been in charge since 2017, is reportedly eager to replicate that success.
As the Black Queens gear up for their do-or-die match, all eyes will be on their response, strategy, and execution in what promises to be a fiercely contested West African derby.