Black Queens Fight Back to Beat Côte d’Ivoire and Keep World Cup Dream Alive
Ghana’s Black Queens have kept their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup alive after producing a spirited comeback to defeat Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in Casablanca on Thursday.
The crucial victory secured Ghana’s place in the intercontinental play-off, giving the team another opportunity to reach the global tournament in Brazil.
The Black Queens endured a difficult start when Côte d’Ivoire took the lead as early as the fourth minute. Ines Konan made no mistake from the penalty spot to give the Ivorians an early advantage.
Ghana, however, responded with greater urgency after the interval and eventually found the breakthrough they needed in the 59th minute.
Princess Marfo restored parity with a well-taken finish, putting the Black Queens back on level terms and setting up a tense final half-hour.
Ghana completed the turnaround in the 72nd minute when Josephine Bonsu calmly converted a penalty to put the Black Queens 2-1 ahead.
The team then showed determination and composure to withstand Côte d’Ivoire’s late pressure, protecting their advantage until the final whistle.
The victory came in the WAFCON play-in, a route created to determine the two African representatives who will progress to the six-team preliminary phase of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament.
For Ghana, the result provides a major lift after their disappointing quarter-final elimination from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Black Queens can now continue their pursuit of a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with their comeback victory over Côte d’Ivoire taking them another step closer to Brazil.
