Ghana鈥檚 Black Queens have kept their hopes of returning to the FIFA Women鈥檚 World Cup alive after coming from behind to beat C么te d鈥橧voire 2-1 in a dramatic TotalEnergies CAF Women鈥檚 Africa Cup of Nations play-off in Casablanca.
The Black Queens fell behind just four minutes into the match at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium after Ines Konan converted a penalty for C么te d鈥橧voire.
Ghana, however, refused to allow the early setback to decide the game. The team returned from the break with renewed energy and turned the match around through goals from Princess Marfo and Josephine Bonsu.
The victory means Ghana have secured a place in the FIFA Women鈥檚 World Cup 2027 inter-confederation play-offs, keeping alive their hopes of reaching the tournament in Brazil.
For the Black Queens, the result is particularly important because Ghana have not appeared at the Women’s World Cup since 2007.
C么te d鈥橧voire Take Early Lead
Both Ghana and C么te d鈥橧voire entered the match under significant pressure after failing to secure automatic qualification through the WAFCON quarter-finals.
The stakes were clear. Victory would keep the winning team’s World Cup dream alive, while defeat would end its hopes of reaching Brazil 2027.
C么te d鈥橧voire made the stronger start.
The Lady Elephants were awarded a penalty in the opening stages, and Konan stepped up to take responsibility.
She kept her composure and sent the ball into the net in the fourth minute to give C么te d鈥橧voire a 1-0 advantage.
The early goal forced Ghana to change its approach almost immediately.
The Black Queens had to chase the game while C么te d鈥橧voire looked to protect their lead and create opportunities on the counterattack.
Physical First Half
The match quickly became a physical contest as both sides fought for control.
Bernadette Amani was booked for C么te d鈥橧voire in the 13th minute, while Ghana’s Portia Boakye received a yellow card in the 25th minute.
A茂ssata Gbehi was also cautioned as the intensity continued to rise.
Ghana were dealt another setback late in the first half when Doris Boaduwaa was unable to continue because of an injury.
Evelyn Badu was introduced in her place during first-half stoppage time.
Despite conceding so early, Ghana managed to stay within touching distance of their opponents.
The Black Queens went into the break trailing 1-0, but the deficit was still small enough for them to believe a comeback was possible.
Princess Marfo Brings Ghana Level
Ghana returned from the break with a completely different level of urgency.
The Black Queens pushed higher up the pitch and began putting greater pressure on the Ivorian defence.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 59th minute when Princess Marfo scored the equaliser.
The goal changed the mood of the game.
Ghana had gone from chasing an equaliser to believing that they could win the match.
The Black Queens continued to attack, while C么te d鈥橧voire suddenly found themselves under pressure after losing the advantage they had held for more than 50 minutes.
Josephine Bonsu Completes the Comeback
Ghana’s comeback was completed in the 72nd minute.
The Black Queens were awarded a penalty, giving them a golden opportunity to take the lead for the first time.
Josephine Bonsu stepped forward and handled the pressure brilliantly.
She converted the penalty to put Ghana 2-1 ahead.
The turnaround was complete.
After conceding inside the opening four minutes, Ghana had scored twice in the second half to move ahead and put themselves within reach of the inter-confederation play-offs.
Ghana Hold On Under Pressure
C么te d鈥橧voire responded by making changes as they searched desperately for an equaliser.
Ghana, meanwhile, focused on protecting their advantage.
The Black Queens also made late substitutions as the team attempted to maintain its energy and defensive organisation.
Sharon Sampson, Alice Sarpong and Linda Owusu were among the players introduced during the closing stages.
The tension increased as the final whistle approached.
Evelyn Badu was booked in the 85th minute as Ghana continued to fight to protect their narrow advantage.
Despite the pressure, the Black Queens remained organised and refused to surrender their lead.
When the final whistle eventually sounded, Ghana had completed a memorable 2-1 comeback victory.
World Cup Dream Still Alive
The victory represents an important step for Ghana’s women’s national team.
The Black Queens have a proud history at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, having qualified for three consecutive editions in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
However, they have missed the last four tournaments.
The 2-1 victory over C么te d鈥橧voire means that long wait could finally come to an end.
Ghana will now enter the FIFA Women鈥檚 World Cup 2027 inter-confederation play-offs, where they will have another opportunity to secure qualification for the tournament in Brazil.
The route is not yet complete, but the Black Queens have successfully cleared another major obstacle.
A Strong Response After WAFCON Disappointment
The result also provides a positive response after Ghana’s disappointing quarter-final defeat to Malawi.
The Black Queens had been hoping to reach the WAFCON semi-finals and secure automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Instead, Malawi defeated Ghana 2-1, forcing the Black Queens into the additional play-off route.
That defeat could have damaged the team’s confidence, but the players responded strongly against C么te d鈥橧voire.
They showed the character needed to recover from an early setback and eventually secure the victory.
C么te d鈥橧voire’s World Cup Hopes End
For C么te d鈥橧voire, the defeat brings their World Cup campaign to an end.
The Lady Elephants had hoped to return to the global tournament after their previous appearance at the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
However, Ghana’s second-half comeback ended those ambitions.
C么te d鈥橧voire made an excellent start and had the advantage for much of the first half, but they could not hold on after Ghana increased the pressure following the interval.
Ghana One Step Closer to Brazil 2027
The Black Queens now have another opportunity to make history.
A place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup would end Ghana’s 20-year absence from the competition and provide a major boost to women’s football in the country.
For the players, coaches and supporters, the victory over C么te d鈥橧voire is therefore more than just another win.
It represents another chance.
Ghana started the match badly, conceding after only four minutes, but the team showed resilience when it mattered most.
Princess Marfo restored parity in the 59th minute before Josephine Bonsu completed the comeback from the penalty spot 13 minutes later.
The Black Queens held on until the final whistle and secured a place in the inter-confederation play-offs.
The road to Brazil is still open. Ghana now need to win again to turn the dream of returning to the Women’s World Cup into reality.
