- Black Queens Crush Mauritius 10–0 On Aggregate to Continue Olympic Dream
Ghana’s Black Queens have advanced to the next stage of the African qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after completing an emphatic 10–0 aggregate victory over Mauritius.
The senior women’s national team defeated Mauritius 7–0 in the return fixture at the Essipong Stadium on Tuesday, adding to its 3–0 victory in the first leg.
Head coach Kim Lars Björkegren selected a strong starting line-up despite Ghana carrying a comfortable advantage into the game, signalling his intention to complete the assignment decisively and build momentum ahead of more demanding qualifying rounds.
The Black Queens controlled proceedings from the opening exchanges, forcing Mauritius deep into its defensive half and creating sustained pressure around the visitors’ penalty area.
Evelyn Badu, captain Portia Boakye and Ajegipina Zakaria converted Ghana’s first-half dominance into a 3–0 lead before the interval.
Mauritius struggled to contain Ghana’s pace and movement after the restart as the hosts continued pushing forward despite several missed opportunities.
Substitute Benedicte Simon eventually added the fourth goal in the 73rd minute before Jennifer Cudjoe converted from the penalty spot late in the contest.
Nancy Amoh and Mukarama Abdulai completed the scoring as Ghana finished the second leg with seven unanswered goals and closed the two-match tie without conceding.
The performance demonstrated Ghana’s superiority but also highlighted the depth available to Björkegren, with substitutes contributing to the second-half scoring.
“We had the chance to score more goals. To play in front of the fans and score seven and play a beautiful game, I think we should be happy and enjoy,” Björkegren said after the match.
“We are happy that we have qualified for the next round.”
The result moves Ghana into the next qualifying stage, where the Black Queens are expected to face Zambia in February 2027.
That contest would be considerably more difficult than the Mauritius assignment. Zambia’s Copper Queens eliminated Ghana during qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and have established themselves as one of Africa’s strongest women’s teams.
The anticipated rematch would therefore test whether the Black Queens’ recent progress can translate into success against elite continental opposition.
Ghana has never qualified for the women’s football tournament at the Olympic Games since the competition was introduced in 1996.
The comprehensive victory over Mauritius represents another step towards ending that record, although the 10–0 scoreline should be viewed as a foundation rather than evidence that qualification is assured.
Against stronger opponents, Ghana will require the same attacking intensity while improving its conversion rate and maintaining the defensive discipline that produced clean sheets in both legs.
For now, however, the Black Queens can take confidence from a professional two-leg performance: 10 goals scored, none conceded and another obstacle removed from Ghana’s pursuit of a historic Olympic appearance.
Ghana won the second leg 7–0 after taking the opening encounter 3–0, while coach Kim Lars Björkegren praised his team’s finishing but noted that it could have scored more.
