Black Queens lose to Nigeria in final WAFCON prep match: Key takeaways

Ghana’s Black Queens, in their final preparation match for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), displayed resilience but succumbed to a 3-1 defeat against Nigeria’s Super Falcons in Lanoura on Sunday.

Despite the loss, the Black Queens showed flashes of promise against one of Africa’s elite teams, though they couldn’t replicate the winning form seen in earlier friendlies against Malawi (3-1) and Benin (4-2).

Nigeria asserted dominance early, with Chinwendu Ihezuo opening the scoring in the 34th minute via a deflected shot.

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Asisat Oshoala extended the lead with a penalty in the 44th minute, showcasing the Super Falcons’ clinical edge.

In the second half, Ghana fought back, intensifying their attacking efforts. Evelyn Badu’s potential goal was disallowed for offside, and Doris Boadwaa’s shot narrowly missed the target.

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Late in the match, Alice Kusi converted a penalty in the 88th minute to pull one back, but Rasheedat Ajibade’s goal sealed Nigeria’s 3-1 victory.

Nigeria’s Superiority Shines: The Super Falcons demonstrated their status as one of Africa’s top teams, with goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo, Asisat Oshoala, and Rasheedat Ajibade underlining their depth, experience, and attacking prowess. Their ability to capitalise on opportunities exposed the quality gap between the two sides.

Ghana’s Fighting Spirit: Despite the defeat, the Black Queens showed resilience, with Alice Kusi’s late penalty highlighting their determination. Their earlier victories over Malawi and Benin in warm-up matches reflect their potential to compete as underdogs in the upcoming tournament.

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A strong test for Ghana: Coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren acknowledged Nigeria’s strength, noting their exceptional players across nearly every position. This match served as a critical learning experience, revealing defensive vulnerabilities that Ghana must address ahead of their challenging Group C fixtures against South Africa, Mali, and Tanzania at WAFCON.

Meanwhile, Coach Kim Lars has named a 24-woman squad for the Morocco AFCON tournament.

Watch the video to see the list of the 24 players.