Malawi vs Ghana LIVE: Score, Goals and Latest Updates From WAFCON 2026 Quarter-Final
Malawi 2-1 Ghana: Full-time analysis
The better team won, and the side that showed greater hunger booked its place in the semi-finals.
The Black Queens produced a shambolic display in their biggest game of the tournament, falling to a Malawi side that showed from the outset that they were ready to cause an upset.
Despite taking the lead as early as the seventh minute, Ghana gradually unravelled. They were wasteful in front of goal, sloppy in possession and repeatedly second best in 50-50 challenges.
The second half was even worse. Ghana struggled to regain control, while Doris Boaduwaa's disallowed goal appeared to dent their confidence before Malawi pounced in the 79th minute to complete a deserved comeback.
Kim Lars Björkegren now has plenty to ponder, from his team selection and personnel to his tactical approach.
A golden opportunity to chase Ghana’s first-ever WAFCON title has slipped through the Black Queens’ fingers.
Malawi 2-1 Ghana: Full-time analysis
The better team won, and the side that showed greater hunger booked its place in the semi-finals.
The Black Queens produced a shambolic display in their biggest game of the tournament, falling to a Malawi side that showed from the outset that they were ready to cause an upset.
Despite taking the lead as early as the seventh minute, Ghana gradually unravelled. They were wasteful in front of goal, sloppy in possession and repeatedly second best in 50-50 challenges.
The second half was even worse. Ghana struggled to regain control, while Doris Boaduwaa's disallowed goal appeared to dent their confidence before Malawi pounced in the 79th minute to complete a deserved comeback.
Kim Lars Björkegren now has plenty to ponder, from his team selection and personnel to his tactical approach.
A golden opportunity to chase Ghana’s first-ever WAFCON title has slipped through the Black Queens’ fingers.
FT: Malawi 2-1 Ghana
79 min: Goal! Malawi take the lead! Rose Kadzere receives a pass inside the box and calmly slots home from close range to put the Scorchers 2-1 ahead.
80 min: Coach Kim Lars Björkegren reacts immediately, making two changes. Abigail Kofi Kim and Benedicte Simon come on for Josephine Bonsu and Comfort Yeboah respectively.
81 min: Ghana nearly equalise! Grace Asantewaa delivers a corner, and the rebound falls to Portia Boakye, who strikes first time. The Malawian goalkeeper saves, with the ensuing scramble eventually smothered by the keeper.
83 min: Ghana are under pressure but win a free-kick. Boakye picks out Princess Marfo, who swivels before firing wide.
84 min: Malawi nearly make it three. Cynthia Konlan bravely smothers Temwa Chawinga’s effort. Ghana quickly turn defence into attack and win a free-kick.
85 min: Portia Boakye tries her luck from long range, but the effort lacks the required power, and the Malawian goalkeeper saves comfortably.
86 min: Ghana win a throw-in, but Malawi force the Black Queens backwards. Temwa Chawinga then gets a sight of goal, but her effort is blocked.
88 min: Ghana struggles to create an opening as Princess Marfo is stopped by her marker.
89 min: Another hopeful ball comes to nothing, with Princella Adubea unable to bring it under control.
The referee signals five minutes of additional time.
90+1 min: Temwa Chawinga wins a foul, and Malawi threaten again, but Cynthia Konlan makes another important save.
90+2 min: Temwa wins another foul as Ghana continue to struggle to contain the Malawian danger.
90+3 min: Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah sends a hopeful ball forward, but there is no Ghanaian player on the end of it, and Malawi clear it.
90+4 min: Portia Boakye launches another long ball into the box, but Malawi clear it. Ghana recycle possession and win another throw-in.
90+5 min: Princess Marfo wins the ball and sends a cross into the box, but Malawi stands firm and clears its lines.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: The Black Queens are on tenterhooks
66 min: Grace Asantewaa follows Jennifer Cudjoe into the referee’s book, bringing down Faith Chinzimu to halt a promising Malawian attack.
67 min: Malawi test Cynthia Konlan from distance, but the Ghana goalkeeper is equal to the effort and makes a comfortable save. The resulting corner comes to nothing.
68 min: Ghana respond with a promising move. Alice Kusi produces some neat footwork before finding Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, whose effort flies wide.
70 min: Coach Kim Lars Björkegren turns to his bench with a triple substitution. Princella Adubea replaces Evelyn Badu, Wassima Mohammed comes on for the booked Jennifer Cudjoe, while Princess Marfo takes the place of Alice Kusi.
72 min: What a block from Josephine Bonsu! She throws her body in the way of Simwaka’s effort to deny Malawi, although the assistant referee’s flag is already up for offside. Relief for Ghana.
73 min: Ghana’s changes have yet to make a significant impact, with Malawi continuing to pile pressure on their more fancied opponents.
74 min: Malawi’s throw-in fails to trouble Ghana. The Scorchers make a change of their own, with Vanessa Chikupila replacing Asimenye Simwaka.
75 min: Malawi are growing stronger by the minute and look the more dangerous side as they continue to push for a breakthrough.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: The Black Queens up the ante
58 min: Ghana restart play after a Malawian player goes down following a challenge.
59 min: Ghana are living dangerously again. A long ball finds Asimenye Simwaka, who tries to turn and cause problems, but the assistant referee’s flag goes up for offside.
61 min: Ghana finally threaten from a set piece. Portia Boakye stands over the free-kick, but her effort crashes into the Malawian wall. Grace Asantewaa reacts quickly to win the ball back and earns another foul.
62 min: Comfort Yeboah takes responsibility this time and sends in a better delivery, but a Malawian defender rises to clear the danger.
63 min: Ghana sustain pressure from an attacking throw-in, with Alice Kusi working hard down the right. However, her cross lacks the quality to trouble Malawi.
64 min: Ghana win another free-kick after Josephine Bonsu’s driving run from midfield is halted. Comfort Yeboah delivers the resulting set piece, but her cross is blocked and Ghana win a corner.
65 min: Alice Kusi sends another cross into the box, but she fails to find the target. Goal kick to Malawi.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: VAR denies Doris Boaduwaa a goal
45 min: Malawi get the second half underway in Rabat as both sides resume their fight for a place in the WAFCON semi-finals.
46 min: Neither team has managed to gain a foothold yet, with the game still finely balanced.
47 min: It remains a cagey contest, with the referee awarding Ghana a free-kick after Temwa Chawinga fouls Grace Asantewaa.
49 min: Ghana win another throw-in before earning a free-kick. Captain Portia Boakye sends the ball into the box, but Malawi clear their lines.
50 min: Ghana move the ball around nicely, with Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah producing some silky footwork to escape her marker. Her attempted shot, however, completely misses the target. Malawi launch a quick transition, forcing Jennifer Cudjoe to take one for the team and pick up a yellow card.
52 min: Malawi send a cross into Ghana’s box, but a brave Cynthia Konlan comes off her line to smother the danger. The ball is not cleared properly, but the referee awards Ghana a free-kick to relieve the pressure.
53 min: Boye-Hlorkah produces another clever piece of skill before threading a killer pass through the Malawian defence. Alice Kusi takes advantage and sends in a pinpoint cross, with Doris Boaduwaa rising to head home. GOAL! Ghana lead!
54 min: Wait! VAR intervenes. After a brief review, the referee rules that Kusi was offside in the build-up. Ghana’s goal is disallowed, leaving the Black Queens heartbroken. The score remains 1-1.
55 min: Malawi immediately try to capitalise on the reprieve and push for a second. Temwa Chawinga attempts to find her sister Tabitha, but the pass takes a deflection and Cynthia Konlan gathers the ball.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: Halftime analysis
Ghana started brightly and deservedly took the lead through Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, but their defensive lapse soon came back to haunt them.
An unmarked Temwa Chawinga was given too much time to unleash a volley, which took a wicked deflection and wrong-footed Cynthia Konlan for Malawi’s equaliser.
Since then, the Scorchers have grown in confidence and look particularly dangerous down Ghana’s right flank, where Josephine Bonsu has struggled to impose herself.
Bonsu has played as a left-back in Ghana’s previous three games and was only moved to the right for this quarter-final.
She has looked uncomfortable in the role, and Björkegren may need to consider switching her back to the left and restoring Comfort Yeboah to a more familiar position to get the best out of both players.
Ghana’s midfield has also failed to click, with the central pairing appearing overwhelmed as the half progressed.
Linda Owusu Ansah could provide the extra bite needed in midfield, potentially replacing Jennifer Cudjoe and allowing Grace Asantewaa greater freedom to carry the ball forward.
Up front, Alice Kusi has been Ghana’s brightest attacking outlet, while Doris Boaduwaa and Evelyn Badu have struggled to make their presence felt. Badu, in particular, wasted a free header shortly after Ghana’s opener when she should have done better.
With a place in the semi-finals and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup at stake, Björkegren may need to turn to his bench for fresh ideas and greater intensity in the second half.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: Nothing to separate the sides. Half time
41 min: Ghana waste a promising set-piece opportunity as Malawi stand firm and clear their lines.
43 min: Malawi work a throw-in and keep possession despite Ghana’s high press. The Black Queens eventually win it back, with Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah slipping a through ball towards Doris Boaduwaa, but the striker’s first touch lets her down.
44 min: Malawi sustain the pressure and send a dangerous cross into Ghana’s box. Asimenye Simwaka gets on the end of it, but Cynthia Konlan is perfectly positioned to make the save and deny the Scorchers a second goal.
45 min: Josephine Bonsu drives forward from midfield but is halted by the Malawian defence. Ghana win a corner after a defender puts the ball out of play.
The referee signals two minutes of added time.
45+2 min: Alice Kusi finally gets the corner into the box after several interruptions, but it fails to trouble Malawi. The rebound falls to Comfort Yeboah, who cannot control it and watches the ball roll out of play.
Half-time: The referee brings an entertaining first half to an end, with Ghana and Malawi locked at 1-1.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: Evenly balanced affair so far
33 min: Ghana nearly win the ball back, but Malawi manage to retain possession. The Black Queens eventually regain it and quickly send Alice Kusi down the right flank, but her marker clears the danger. Ghana fail to make the most of the resulting attack and Malawi earn a goal kick.
35 min: A hopeful ball is sent towards Doris Boaduwaa, but Malawi defend resolutely. The Scorchers attempt to counter, only for the ball to run out of play. Ghana then give possession away again, with Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah caught on the ball.
36 min: Jennifer Cudjoe comes to Ghana’s rescue, winning a foul to halt the attack. Portia Boakye launches a long ball towards Kusi, but Malawi deal with it. The Scorchers quickly switch play, forcing Boye-Hlorkah to race back and help defensively.
37 min: Ghana turn the throw-in into a quick counter. Cudjoe finds Grace Asantewaa, who releases Kusi down the flank, but a Malawian defender times her challenge perfectly to stop the attack.
38 min: Boaduwaa attempts a clever flick, but it fails to come off and Ghana’s promising move breaks down.
39 min: Malawi switch play and find Temwa Chawinga, but Comfort Yeboah stays tight to the danger woman and ensures her tricks and flicks lead nowhere. Goal kick to Ghana.
40 min: Malawi try to build another attack, but Ghana deals with it . Cynthia Konlan gathers comfortably before a long ball into the Malawian half causes brief panic as two defenders collide. Boaduwaa almost capitalises, but the goalkeeper reacts quickly to smother the danger.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: Black Queens living dangerously
22 min: It has become a tight affair after Ghana dominated the opening exchanges. Jennifer Cudjoe goes down in a challenge as the Black Queens win a throw-in.
23 min: What a chance! Evelyn Badu finds herself in acres of space but cannot bring the ball under control. Fortunately for Ghana, the assistant referee’s flag goes up for offside.
24 min: Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah threads a pass into midfield, with Alice Kusi picking it up before sending a first-time cross towards Doris Boaduwaa. Malawi deal with the danger.
25 min: The game is becoming scrappy, with Malawi starting to find their footing. Temwa Chawinga slips a pass into a teammate’s path, but Cynthia Konlan gathers comfortably.
27 min: Malawi look the more composed side at this stage and win a free-kick. The ball is floated into Ghana’s box, but Konlan comes off her line to collect with ease.
28 min: Ghana are living dangerously as Malawi continue to apply pressure.
29 min: Ghana come close! Doris Boaduwaa forces a save from a tight angle after clever play from Boye-Hlorkah. Boaduwaa is then sent through again, but she collides with a Malawian defender, with the referee awarding a foul to the Scorchers.
30 min: Malawi launch the free-kick into a dangerous area and work an opening, but the resulting effort sails high over the bar.
Malawi 1-1 Ghana: Temwa Chawinga levels the score
12 min: Goal! Malawi are level! After sustained pressure, Temwa Chawinga unleashes a volley that takes a wicked deflection and wrong-foots Cynthia Konlan. The Scorchers are back in it at 1-1.
14 min: Malawi have grown in confidence since finding the equaliser, while Ghana need to regain their composure and rhythm. Alice Kusi beats her markers with ease, but her final pass fails to find a teammate.
15 min: Ghana forced into concern. Evelyn Badu goes down in pain and receives treatment from the medical team. The referee asks her to continue treatment off the pitch as she limps away.
16 min: Ghana restart without Badu. Portia Boakye launches one of her trademark long balls, but Malawi deal with it comfortably and quickly turn defence into attack.
17 min: Malawi push forward, but Ghana’s defence stands firm and clears the danger with little fuss.
18 min: Alice Kusi continues to torment the Malawian defence. She wins possession and earns Ghana a throw-in. The ball is delivered and cleared, but the rebound falls to Josephine Bonsu, whose effort sails over the bar.
20 min: Malawi threaten again, but Ghana defend resolutely before building from the back. The Queens are briefly caught under pressure but manage to escape. Boye-Hlorkah then slips a through ball towards Doris Boaduwaa, but the pass runs straight into the arms of the Malawian goalkeeper.
Malawi 0-1 Ghana: Boye-Hlorkah fires Black Queens into the lead
1 min: Ghana get us underway in Rabat, with Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah setting the game in motion. The Black Queens win an early attacking throw-in, but Malawi clear their lines.
2 min: Grace Asantewaa is penalised for a foul, but Malawi fail to make the most of the free-kick. Ghana quickly regain possession, with Boye-Hlorkah sending Doris Boaduwaa through before the striker is penalised for a foul of her own.
3 min: Malawi win a long throw after the ball goes out of play. Josephine Bonsu appears to catch her opponent during an aerial challenge, but the referee waves play on.
4 min: Ghana settle into the game and gradually push into Malawi’s half. The Black Queens earn another attacking throw-in, but Evelyn Badu cannot get the required touch and the chance goes begging.
5 min: Ghana press high and win possession. Alice Kusi delivers a cross that Boaduwaa fails to connect with, but the rebound falls kindly to Boye-Hlorkah, who makes no mistake, smashing a volley into the net from a tight angle. GOAL! Ghana lead!
6 min: Wait! VAR checks the goal, but the review is brief. The Egyptian referee confirms the goal stands, and Malawi are forced to restart.
7 min: Alice Kusi is causing all sorts of problems for Malawi. She skips past her marker and sends in a pinpoint cross, but Evelyn Badu cannot make proper contact and heads wide.
8 min: Malawi respond with greater urgency and win their first corner after Chawinga’s cross is cleared by Ghana captain Portia Boakye.
9 min: The corner is whipped into the box but beats everyone. Ghana survive without much trouble.
10 min: Ghana build patiently from the back with some neat passing before quickly switching play. Evelyn Badu is sent into space, but the ball runs out of play.
