Ghana’s Black Queens have secured a commanding 10 to 0 aggregate victory over Mauritius to advance to the third round of the African qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where they will face Zambia in February 2027.
The Ghanaian women’s national team confirmed their progression on Tuesday after defeating Mauritius 7 to 0 in the return fixture at the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi Takoradi, building on their 3 to 0 triumph in the first leg played in Mauritius the previous Thursday.
Despite entering the encounter with a substantial advantage, head coach Kim Lars Björkegren named a strong starting lineup as Ghana sought to complete the assignment convincingly on home soil.
The Black Queens dominated proceedings from the opening exchanges, forcing their opponents deep into their own half as they searched for goals. Their attacking pressure proved decisive, with Ghana establishing a three goal advantage before the interval.
Evelyn Badu opened the scoring before captain Portia Boakye and Ajegipina Zakaria added further goals to put the hosts firmly in control of the contest.
Ghana maintained their attacking momentum after the restart, continuing to dictate the pace and create opportunities against a Mauritius side struggling to contain their opponents.
Although several missed chances delayed further additions to the scoreline, substitute Benedicte Simon eventually found the net in the 73rd minute to extend Ghana’s advantage.
Jennifer Cudjoe subsequently converted a penalty in the 86th minute, further widening the gap between the two teams. Nancy Amoh and Mukarama Abdulai then scored additional goals to complete the emphatic 7 to 0 victory.
The result gave Ghana a comprehensive 10 to 0 aggregate triumph and confirmed their place in the third round of the continental Olympic qualifying competition.
Zambia will provide the Black Queens’ next opposition after overcoming Uganda by a 5 to 3 aggregate scoreline in their second round encounter. The meeting between Ghana and Zambia is scheduled to take place between February 23 and March 6, 2027.
The third round represents another important hurdle for Ghana as the team pursues its ambition of qualifying for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time in its history.
Under the qualification format, the eight teams that emerge victorious on aggregate in the third round will progress to the fourth round, scheduled for October 4 to 12, 2027.
The African qualification campaign comprises five knockout rounds, with the final four teams expected to contest the decisive stage between November 23 and December 4, 2027. The final phase will determine the two African nations that qualify to represent the continent at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
For the Black Queens, the upcoming encounter against Zambia will provide a more demanding assessment of their progress as they seek to maintain their momentum and move closer to securing a historic Olympic appearance.
