Ghana are champions of the maiden WAFU Women’s Cup after the Black Queens earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory against host nation Ivory Coast.
Janet Egyir goal in the first half ensured the Black Queens got a sweet revenge and also win the glittering trophy at stake. The Queens were beaten by the same margin in their first match of the competition against the Ivorians.
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Beyond the bragging rights, it is also a historic feat for Ghana coach Mercy Tagoe who is acting as the interim coach of the Black Queens after Mas-ud Didi Dramani resigned last month.
Mercy Tagoe
Tagoe, a former player, becomes the first female coach to win a trophy with the Black Queens. However, she will be hoping for the big one, that is the Africa Cup of Nations which gets underway in Ghana in November.
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Road to the final
The two sides reached the final in a contrasting manner, but they have both showed quality in tactics and pattern of play.
The Ivorians beat Ghana 1-0, Niger 6-0, and drew 1-1 with Burkina Faso, before beating Mali 2-0 in the semi-finals.
The Queens, on the other hand, recovered from their initial slip to secure two emphatic wins against Niger (9-0) and Burkina Faso (4-1), before that significant 5-4 win on penalties against Nigeria after 1-1 in regulation time.
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But that was not enough to steal the show from the Ghanaians who dominated the individual honours as well.
Skipper Portia Boakye, who took the armband in Elizabeth Addo’s absence, finished as top scorer with four goals and three assists.
Grand final hero Jane Egyir picked the player of the tournament while Ivory Coast’s custodian was named best keeper.
Golden Boot: Portia Boakye
Golden Ball: Jane Egyir
Golden Glove: Cynthia Djohore
