At least seven countries have been eliminated from the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, with the final place in the knockout-stage exits set to be decided after Thursday’s Group D matches.
Zambia, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Senegal, Kenya and Tanzania have all seen their campaigns come to an end following the conclusion of group matches played on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The tournament will lose one more team when the remaining Group D fixtures are completed on Thursday.
The decisive matches include Ghana’s meeting with Mali, while Cameroon will face Cape Verde.
With the Group D fixtures determining the final outcome, the Ghana-Mali encounter carries particular significance because the team that loses that match will be eliminated from the competition.
The match therefore represents a direct battle for survival in the tournament, with neither Ghana nor Mali able to afford defeat.
The elimination of seven teams has already reduced the field as the competition moves towards the knockout stages.
Zambia are among the more notable sides to have exited the tournament, alongside Egypt, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Senegal, Kenya and Tanzania.
Their departures followed the completion of the first round of group matches, which were played across three days.
The tournament in Morocco has now reached a stage where the remaining Group D fixtures will determine the final team to join those already eliminated.
Ghana and Mali will meet on Thursday in a fixture that has taken on added importance because of the consequences attached to the result.
A defeat for either side will end its participation in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Cameroon and Cape Verde will also play on Thursday as the final Group D matches take place.
The outcome of those games will complete the group-stage picture and establish which teams continue their pursuit of the continental title.
For Ghana and Mali, however, the immediate objective is straightforward: avoid elimination.
The two nations enter their meeting knowing that a loss will bring their WAFCON campaign to an end.
That makes the fixture one of the key matches of the latest stage of the competition, with both teams fighting to remain in contention.
The elimination of the seven teams earlier in the week has already demonstrated the importance of securing results during the group phase.
Zambia, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Senegal, Kenya and Tanzania were unable to do enough to continue their campaigns after their respective group matches were completed.
Their exits leave the tournament with fewer teams as attention turns to the final Group D decisions.
The Ghana-Mali game will consequently be watched closely, with the loser becoming the eighth team eliminated from the competition.
Cape Verde are also involved in Thursday’s schedule against Cameroon, meaning the results from both fixtures will bring the group stage to a conclusion.
The tournament’s next phase will then take shape after all the Group D matches have been completed.
For the teams still involved, the stakes are now rising with every match.
Ghana and Mali, in particular, face a simple but demanding equation: win and continue, lose and go home.
The conclusion of Thursday’s Group D fixtures will therefore determine the final team to leave the competition and complete the list of early WAFCON exits.
