Ghana’s Black Queens booked a semifinal meeting with hosts Morocco at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals after edging Algeria on post-match penalties in their quarterfinal in Berkane on Saturday.
Ghana won 4-2 on spot kicks after the tie ended goalless after 120 minutes – the third successive match that Algerians have played to a 0-0 draw.
It was a deserved victory for the West Africans, who were the more enterprising, but ran into a strong Algerian defence. Astonishingly, they depart the tournament without conceding a goal in their four matches but having scored just once.
Ghana book their ticket to the #WAFCON2024 semi-finals 🇬🇭⏩#HereForHer | #SSFootball | #HereForHer pic.twitter.com/b17nraYXWk
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) July 19, 2025
Algeria’s keeper Chloe Ngazi might have kept her goal intact throughout, but she was beaten by each of Ghana’s penalty takers, who all successfully shot high to her right.
Instead, it was Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Komlan who emerged the hero despite having relatively little to do all afternoon when she stopped kicks from both Marine Dafeur and Ines Belloumou.
The Black Queens get the job done over Algeria through penalties ✅🇬🇭🇩🇿#WAFCON2024 | #SSFootball | #HereForHer pic.twitter.com/19DPIVmj5w
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) July 19, 2025
Ghana did have the ball in the net in the first half, but their 27th-minute effort was ruled out after a VAR check. Chantelle Boyd-Hlorkah was marginally offside before running onto a pass, squaring the ball inside the Algerian area to which Doris Boaduwaa failed to connect, but Stella Nyamekye picked up to slam it into the net.
Ghana had a good opportunity earlier in the 13th minute when Princess Dankwa was in with a chance, but she put her shot wide. Dankwa had won the ball inside the Algerian area but looked to elbow Morgane Belkhiter in the face and was fortunate that there was no VAR check, which could have earned her more than just the yellow card she received.
ERROR-STREWN SECOND HALF
Ghana had two free-kick opportunities in an error-strewn second half but fired both of them straight at a solid Algerian wall. The Black Queens were again the more enterprising of the two teams, but Algeria always had enough players behind the ball to stymie them.
Algeria’s Amira Ould Braham should have been the first sending off of the tournament when she lashed out in an off-the-ball incident, aiming a kick at the shins of an opponent, but surprisingly only received a yellow.
Boyd-Hlorkah might have broken the deadlock in the 100th when free at the back post but failed to control the free-kick hit at her, while four minutes later, at the other end of the pitch, a tired-looking Gnouthia Karchouni struck her shot over the top of the goal.
Algeria’s best chance came a minute later as Nouhed Naili found herself free on goal, only for defender Sudan Duah to get back and make a superb tackle to deny the Algerian substitute a chance to shoot from close range.
Ghana’s semifinal against Morocco will be played in Rabat on Tuesday.
Later on Saturday, hosts South Africa are taking on Senegal in Oudja in the last of the quarterfinal clashes. The winner will meet Nigeria in the last four in Casablanca on Tuesday.
