Ghana midfielder Evelyn Badu has warned the Black Queens they cannot afford another slow start when they face Malawi in a crucial Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-final on Sunday.
Ghana advanced to the knockout stage after drawing 1-1 with Mali in their final group match, but their progress followed an inconsistent run in the tournament.
The Black Queens opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Cape Verde before suffering a 1-0 defeat by Cameroon. They then drew with Mali to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Badu believes Ghana’s performance against Cameroon should serve as a warning ahead of their meeting with Malawi, particularly after the team struggled during the opening 45 minutes of that match.
“In the game against Cameroon, we didn’t really show up in the first half, but in the second half, we came back strong. We shall take that to the game against Malawi,” she said.
The midfielder says Ghana must apply the lessons from that defeat by making a positive start against Malawi rather than allowing their opponents to gain control early in the match.
“We have to start strong. We cannot afford to waste 45 minutes and then go into the second half chasing the game.”
Badu also stressed that the responsibility for producing a better opening cannot rest on individual players, insisting that Ghana must approach the match as a united team from the first whistle.
“We have to come out of the first half strong, fighting together as a team.”
The quarter-final represents an important opportunity for the Black Queens, with qualification for the semi-finals and a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup both at stake.
That added incentive has increased the importance of Sunday’s match, with Ghana seeking to continue their campaign and move closer to their ultimate ambition at the tournament.
Badu says the Black Queens are not satisfied with simply repeating their previous achievement. Ghana won a bronze medal at the last WAFCON, but the midfielder believes the current squad has higher ambitions.
“We won the medal last year, but we know that there is more for us. We want to reach the final.”
The Black Queens’ route to the quarter-finals has therefore given them an opportunity to build on the lessons from their group-stage performances.
After beginning the competition with victory over Cape Verde, Ghana were unable to maintain that momentum against Cameroon, losing 1-0 after a difficult first half. Their response against Mali eventually secured progression, with the 1-1 draw enough to send them through to the knockout phase.
Badu’s message ahead of the Malawi encounter is clear: Ghana must be ready from the beginning and remain together throughout the contest.
With a semi-final place and World Cup qualification on the line, the Black Queens will need to avoid another opening period in which they are forced to chase the game.
For Badu, the response to the Cameroon setback provides the blueprint. Ghana showed greater strength after the interval in that match, and she wants that determination to be evident from the start against Malawi.
The Black Queens are now aiming to turn their quarter-final opportunity into a deeper run, with Badu making clear that the squad’s ambitions extend beyond another medal.
Their immediate task is to overcome Malawi, but the wider objective is to reach the final and take another step towards establishing Ghana among the leading teams at the tournament.
