Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren has described Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to Malawi in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarterfinal as the most painful moment of his 20-year coaching career.
Ghana suffered a disappointing elimination after conceding a late goal to Malawi, missing the opportunity to secure qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup at the first attempt.
Björkegren said he was deeply disappointed for his players and Ghanaians, insisting that the team had believed it had a strong chance of progressing.
“Maybe potentially the worst feeling I had in 20 years of coaching,” the Swedish coach said after the match.
Ghana made a strong start and took the lead in the seventh minute through Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah. However, Malawi responded through Temwa Chawinga, who restored parity before the break.
The Black Queens struggled to regain control after conceding the equaliser, and Rose Smith Kadzere eventually scored Malawi’s winning goal in the 79th minute.
Björkegren admitted that his team lost some of its control after making a promising start. He said Ghana began relying too much on long balls, which resulted in an open game and allowed Malawi to become more dangerous.
The coach said his technical team tried to correct the problem during the interval, but Ghana was unable to create enough opportunities in the second half to change the outcome.
Björkegren also pointed to fatigue as another factor that affected the team’s performance. Ghana had fewer recovery days before the quarterfinal and also had to travel, which he said took a toll on some players.
He specifically mentioned midfielder Alice Kusi, who started strongly but struggled to maintain her level during the match.
Despite the setback, Ghana’s World Cup hopes are not over. The Black Queens will have another opportunity to qualify through the playoffs.
Ghana will face fellow West African side Ivory Coast on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in a crucial playoff match, with a place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup at stake.
Björkegren will now have to lift his players quickly and prepare them for what could be their final opportunity to achieve World Cup qualification.
