Ghana got their 2026 Women\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations campaign off to a winning start on Wednesday evening, beating tournament debutants Cape Verde 2-0 in Group C at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca.<\/p>\n
The Black Queens took the lead inside the opening ten minutes and controlled the contest throughout, restricting Cape Verde<\/a> to very few sights of goal on their historic maiden appearance at the continental showpiece.<\/p>\n Doris Boaduwaa<\/a>, fresh off a hat-trick in the pre-tournament friendly win over Malawi, needed only six minutes to break the deadlock.<\/p>\n A well weighted Portia Boakye long pass found the Ghana<\/a> forward who timed her run perfectly through the middle before dinking the ball over the onrushing Jacinta Rodrigues<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lead should have been doubled inside the quarter-hour. Princess Marfo<\/a> won the ball high up the pitch in a dangerous area, immediately laid it off to Boaduwaa, but the forward\u2019s effort was gathered by Rodrigues, who kept Cape Verde within touching distance for the remainder of the half.<\/p>\n At the interval, Bj\u00f6rkegren made one attacking change, replacing Marfo with Sharon Sampson<\/a>. The switch paid off almost immediately, with Sampson bringing sharper energy on the left and helping Ghana take the game back to Cape Verde in the second period.<\/p>\n The second goal duly arrived but in slightly fortuitous fashion. A driving Ghana attack ended with\u00a0Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah<\/a> delivering a cross into a dangerous zone at the far post, where Cape Verde defender Eleia Vieira<\/a> could only turn the ball into her own net under pressure.<\/p>\n It was no less than the Black Queens deserved, and it settled any nerves that had crept in around the one-goal cushion.<\/p>\n Ghana kept pressing for a third. Boaduwaa was again through on goal after another slick counter-attacking move, only to see her effort saved by Rodrigues. Second-half substitute Princella Adubea<\/a> reached the rebound but sent her follow-up over the crossbar.<\/p>\n Moments later, Boaduwaa rose to meet a free-kick delivery with a free header inside the box, but could only steer her attempt wide of the far post.<\/p>\n Cape Verde\u2019s difficult night got worse in stoppage time when Kleydiana Borges<\/a> was shown a straight red card for dangerous play, reducing the debutants to ten women as the whistle approached.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Kim Lars Bjorkegren, it was the opening statement he had promised on the eve of the tournament. A Black Queens side that pressed high, defended firmly, and created the better chances against a well-organised debutant.<\/p>\n Ghana continue their Group C campaign against Cameroon<\/a> on Saturday, August 2, at the same Moulay Rachid Stadium. Cape Verde face Mali<\/a> on the same day.<\/p>\n