Black Queens Survive Côte d’Ivoire Test to Keep World Cup Return Alive
Ghana have kept their bid to return to the FIFA Women’s World Cup alive after overcoming Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in a tense playoff encounter in Casablanca.
The Black Queens had to recover from an early deficit to secure a place in the next phase of the qualification process, ensuring their campaign did not end with their disappointing quarter-final exit at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The result was especially significant because both teams entered the contest knowing defeat would bring their World Cup ambitions to an immediate end. Ghana ultimately showed greater composure when the pressure was at its highest.
Côte d’Ivoire made the better start and were awarded a penalty after Prince Marfo was judged to have committed a foul inside the box. Inès Konan made no mistake from the spot to put the Ivorians ahead.
Ghana responded by taking control of possession and territory. The Black Queens repeatedly pushed Côte d’Ivoire backwards but could not convert their dominance into a goal before the interval.
The Queens appeared to have levelled soon after the restart when Stella Nyamekye found the net. However, a lengthy VAR intervention ruled the goal out, with Evelyn Badu judged to have fouled the Ivorian goalkeeper while challenging for the ball.
Marfo and Bonsu Turn the Game Around
The disallowed goal did not derail Ghana’s momentum. Prince Marfo instead became the unlikely source of the equaliser, rising above the Ivorian defence to head home from a corner and make amends for the penalty she had conceded earlier.
With Côte d’Ivoire struggling to regain control, Ghana continued to apply pressure and eventually received another major opportunity.
A Ghanaian effort struck the arm of an Ivorian defender inside the penalty area. The referee initially allowed play to continue, but VAR prompted a review that resulted in a penalty being awarded.
Josephine Bonsu stepped forward and calmly converted, giving Ghana the lead with 19 minutes remaining.
Côte d’Ivoire had little choice but to commit players forward. They needed an equaliser to preserve their hopes of returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2015.
The Black Queens, however, defended their advantage with discipline. Captain Portia Boakye led the resistance as Ghana survived the late pressure to claim a crucial victory.
The win gives Ghana another opportunity to reach the World Cup, although their path to Brazil will now be considerably longer.
The Black Queens have not appeared at the tournament since 2007, despite qualifying for three consecutive editions between 1999 and 2007. Their previous campaigns produced only one World Cup victory.
Under the expanded format, Africa has four direct places at the 2027 Women’s World Cup, awarded to the four WAFCON semi-finalists. Ghana missed out on that route after losing in the quarter-finals.
Instead, their victory over Côte d’Ivoire sends them into FIFA’s Women’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament, where they will compete against teams from other confederations for one of three remaining World Cup places.
The initial playoff stage will involve six teams, including two from Africa. Two teams will progress to the final phase, where they will join four additional nations. The eight teams will then compete through knockout pathways, with three World Cup tickets available.
For Ghana, the first challenge comes in November. The Black Queens must now put their WAFCON disappointment behind them and prepare for another demanding test.
Their dream of returning to the global stage is alive, but the margin for error has become extremely small.