WAFCON 2026: Ghana must turn chances into goals – Coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren warns ahead of Mali game

Black Queens coach Kim Lars Björkegren has called on his players to improve their finishing after Ghana suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

Ghana created several opportunities but failed to find the back of the net as a first-half penalty from Marie Gisele Ngah Manga handed Cameroon all three points in the Group D encounter on Sunday.

The Black Queens dominated large portions of the game and threatened through Doris Boaduwaa, Portia Boakye and Evelyn Badu, but their inability to convert their chances proved costly.

Björkegren acknowledged the positives from the performance, insisting Ghana’s defensive organisation and chance creation show the team has the quality to compete, but believes the next step is becoming more clinical in front of goal.

“I still believe a lot in this group, and we know that we have a strong defense. I mean, the only way to score against us is with a penalty, more or less, right now. And we just need to take care of our chances.”

The Swedish coach highlighted Ghana’s expected goals (xG) numbers from their opening matches as evidence of their attacking threat, but admitted the team must start turning opportunities into goals.

“It shows that we’re doing many good things. We create chances enough. We have a strong defense. If we just start to score from our chances, then it’s going to be a fun tournament.”

The Black Queens will now face Mali in their final group match on August 6, needing a positive result to boost their chances of reaching the knockout stage.