Black Queens beat Côte d'Ivoire in WAFCON warm-up

Ghana's Black Queens have boosted their preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Côte d'Ivoire in a pre-tournament friendly in Morocco.

The decisive moment came in the 75th minute when Sharon Sampson found the back of the net to hand the Black Queens victory in a closely contested encounter.

The match was played behind closed doors on July 14, 2026, as both teams fine-tuned their squads ahead of the continental showpiece.

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The win provides a timely confidence boost for head coach Kim Björkegren's side as they continue their preparations for WAFCON, where Ghana will be aiming for a strong campaign after returning to the tournament.

The Black Queens will now face regional rivals Nigeria's Super Falcons in their second and final preparatory friendly on Saturday, July 18. The fixture is expected to provide a sterner test before the competition gets underway.

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Bashirudeen Sumani, Black Maidens captain reflect on hard-fought win over Senegal