Ghana’s Black Queens continued their build-up to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with an impressive 4–0 friendly victory over Ampem Darkoa Ladies, the 2025/26 Women’s Premier League champions, at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The friendly encounter formed part of the Queens’ preparation for the continental showpiece scheduled for July 2026 in Morocco. The team opened camp on Monday 1st June, bringing together both locally based and foreign-based players, as intensity gradually builds ahead of the tournament.
Training sessions have also attracted notable figures from Ghana’s football fraternity, including Asamoah Gyan, Ghana Football Association National Teams Ambassador, who visited camp to motivate and encourage the players as they chase continental glory.
Ghana will head into the tournament as bronze medalists from the previous edition, with ambitions firmly set on surpassing that achievement and securing qualification to the 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
In the friendly match, Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren made full use of his squad, rotating all 25 available players to assess depth, versatility, and tactical options.
Midfielder Evelyn Badu opened the scoring in the first half after connecting with a corner kick from Alice Kusi to give the Queens a 1–0 lead at the break. Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah doubled the advantage early in the second half, before Stella Nyamekye calmly converted a penalty for the third goal. Mavis Owusu sealed a convincing 4–0 victory with the final goal of the match.
Speaking after the game, Coach Björkegren praised the performance of Ampem Darkoa Ladies, saying, “I think they did their best. They worked hard for each other and defended very well. They should be happy with their performance. Of course, at the end of the day it’s 4–0, and we rotated about 25 players. I don’t think they had a shot on goal, but they deserve respect, and I’m happy we had the opportunity to play them. I also believe this match can help them prepare for their upcoming games.”
The Black Queens coach also revealed that the encounter had caught his attention regarding some opposition players, adding, “playing against them today, I identified a few players that my technical team and I will continue to monitor closely going forward.”
At the end of the match, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, President of the Ghana Football Association, addressed the team and reaffirmed his confidence in their ability. “I know your capabilities because you have already demonstrated your quality on the African continent. I will ensure you get adequate preparation, and I look forward to seeing you all in Morocco for the tournament itself. I wish you all the very best,” he said.
With preparations underway, the Black Queens appear focused, motivated, and determined to make a strong statement at WAFCON 2026.
By; Victoria Kwofie
