Morocco secured their spot in a second straight Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final by narrowly defeating Ghana 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 1-1 draw following extra time in Tuesday’s semi-final clash in Rabat.
The Atlas Lionesses showed great composure during the shootout, with goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi making a pivotal save and two Ghanaian players missing their penalties. Morocco will now face Nigeria in the highly anticipated final on Saturday, while Ghana will take on South Africa in the third-place playoff on Friday.
The match at Stade Moulay Abdellah was fiercely competitive from the start. Ghana took the lead in the 26th minute through Stella Nyamekye, who capitalized on a loose ball after a corner and struck past Er-Rmichi to give the Black Queens an early advantage.
Kim Björkegren’s Ghana side started strong, creating several chances through Doris Boaduwaa, Princess Marfo, and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, but Morocco, buoyed by their passionate home crowd, responded with urgency after halftime.
Morocco’s persistence paid off in the 55th minute when Sakina Ouzraoui Diki converted a rebound from a deflected shot by Ibtissam Jraïdi, leveling the score and shifting the momentum in their favor. Morocco controlled much of the possession thereafter, though Ghana remained a threat on the counterattack, with Princella Adubea and Alice Kusi testing the Moroccan defense late in the game.
Neither side could find the winner in regular time, and extra time brought increased tension and exhaustion. Both teams had to make injury substitutions, including Morocco’s Fatima Tagnaout and Ghana’s Adubea receiving treatment. Evelyn Badu missed a prime opportunity for Ghana in the 100th minute, heading wide from close range, while Morocco’s Kenza Chapelle nearly scored with a long-range effort that went just over the crossbar.
With no goals in extra time, the match was decided by penalties. Morocco’s Hanane Aït El Haj, Ibtissam Jraïdi, Kenza Chapelle, and Anissa Lahmari all scored their penalties with confidence. Ghana’s campaign faltered in the shootout as Evelyn Badu missed her spot-kick and Comfort Yeboah saw hers saved by Er-Rmichi.
The victory sparked celebrations among the Moroccan squad and fans as Jorge Vilda’s team kept their hopes alive for a first-ever WAFCON title and secured back-to-back final appearances.
For Ghana, the loss marked a disappointing end to a valiant tournament run, but they will have a chance to finish on a high note in Friday’s third-place match against South Africa.
Edited by: KENNEDY AMPONSAH NTI
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