Ghana's national team achieved a decisive victory with a 4:1 win over Tanzania, while defending champions South Africa crushed Mali with an impressive 4:0 in the group stage of the tournament.
In the match between Ghana and Tanzania, which took place in the city of Berkane, the "Black Queens" took the lead in the 12th minute, when Princella Adubea forced goalkeeper Najat Idrisa to concede a goal after an unsuccessful clearance attempt.
The Tanzanian team managed to equalize four minutes before halftime through a goal by Stumai Atumani, who scored with a spectacular volley from a difficult angle.
A crucial moment in the match occurred when the referee awarded a penalty in favor of Ghana after a foul by Princes Marfo on Anastazia Katunzi. Alice Kusi converted the penalty, with the ball passing under the goalkeeper, restoring Ghana's lead.
In the final minutes of the match, Evelyn Badu and Chantel Boyer-Lorkat shaped the final 4:1 score, which definitively qualified Ghana for the quarter-finals.
Parallel to this match, the South African team "Banyana Banyana" demonstrated exceptional dominance against Mali. The goals were scored by Lebohang Ramalepe, captain Refiloe Jane, Hilda Magaia, and the youngest player in the team - 21-year-old Ronelle Doneli.
The South African team reinforced its status as a trophy favorite by convincingly winning the group with a maximum score and an impressive goal difference.
In the upcoming quarter-final matches, Ghana will play against Algeria, while South Africa will face Senegal. In parallel, Mali will meet the hosts from Morocco.
The results of this day meant that the Botswana team was eliminated from the tournament, with their only chance being to qualify as one of the best third-place teams if there was a draw between Ghana and Tanzania.
The Women's African Cup of Nations continues to offer exceptionally attractive football and emotional matches that attract the attention of fans from across the continent.