Ghana’s Black Queens secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Mauritius in the first leg of their second-round CAF Women’s Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament tie on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at the Côte d’Or National Sports Complex in St Pierre, Mauritius.
The result gives the Black Queens a strong advantage heading into the return leg and marks a solid start to their campaign for a historic first appearance at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.
Match Summary and Goals
Ghana, under Swedish head coach Kim Lars Björkegren, took time to settle but dominated the first half and scored three times before the interval.
• 16th minute: Stella Nyamekye was released down the right and delivered a low cross into the box. Abigail Kim finished from close range to open the scoring.
• 24th minute: Comfort Yeboah provided a precise cross that Alice Kusi converted to make it 2-0.
• First-half stoppage time (around 45+3): Yeboah was involved again, supplying Benedicte Simon, who produced a superb long-range curling finish into the top-left corner for her first goal for the senior national team and a 3-0 lead at the break.
Mauritius improved after half-time and showed greater resistance, but Ghana remained organised and controlled proceedings. The Black Queens dominated possession and territory yet could not add to their tally. Notable near-misses included a Jennifer Cudjoe free-kick that rattled the crossbar in the 78th minute. Mauritius also struck the woodwork late in the game.
Björkegren made changes at the start of the second half and later, introducing players such as Nancy Amoh, Josephine Bonsu, Zakaria Ajegipina, and Mukarama Abdulai (around the 73rd minute). The clean sheet and three-goal cushion leave Ghana in a commanding position.
Team Selection and Key Performances
Björkegren adjusted his defensive setup for the fixture. Afi Amenyeku started in goal. Debutant Margaret Agyapomaa partnered Diana Amoako at centre-back (both handed starts, with Agyapomaa making her competitive senior debut). Comfort Yeboah and Benedicte Simon operated as full-backs. The midfield featured Jennifer Cudjoe (captain), Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, and Evelyn Badu. Up front, Abigail Kim led the line with Alice Kusi and Stella Nyamekye providing support on the flanks.
Standout contributions came from the goalscorers and the creative full-backs, particularly Yeboah’s two assists. The result also marked Ghana’s first competitive match scoring three or more goals since a 3-0 win over Egypt in October 2025 during WAFCON qualifying.
Context of the Qualifiers
This was the second of five knockout rounds in Africa’s qualification pathway for the 2028 Olympics. Ghana received a bye in the preliminary round due to their continental ranking. Mauritius advanced by defeating Djibouti 3-1 on aggregate earlier.
The winners of this Ghana–Mauritius tie will face either Uganda or Zambia in the third round (Uganda held a 2-1 first-leg lead over Zambia at the time of the match). Subsequent rounds are scheduled through 2027, with only the final four African teams securing Olympic places.
Ghana has never qualified for the women’s Olympic football tournament. Their closest recent attempt came in the Paris 2024 cycle, when they reached a late stage before elimination by Zambia. The Black Queens are aiming to end that drought under Björkegren, who has been building the side following the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Second Leg
The return fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, 13 October 2026, at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana.
