Ghana’s Black Queens are refusing to be lulled into complacency by their previous encounter with Malawi ahead of this evening’s high-stakes TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) quarter-final in Morocco.
The Scorchers lost 4-0 to Ghana in an international friendly in Rabat shortly before the tournament kicked off.
However, Ghana coach Kim Lars Björkegren has warned his charges against complacency, according to Ghanasoccernet.
“Malawi have two players [Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga] up front who are world class. So it will be tough for us. But we also believe in ourselves and we think we have improved since the tournament started,” he said.
Ironically, neither Temwa nor Tabitha featured in that friendly. US-based Temwa was yet to join the Scorchers when the match was played while Tabitha was rested.
Black Queens midfielder Evelyn Badu, who has scored twice at the tournament, also believes the 4-0 victory will count for little in the battle for a place in the semi-finals and qualification for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
“We’ve played them before, but football has different ways. We’re not going to look at the fact that we scored against them. Now it’s something different, and we’re going in with a different approach, and winning is just what we’re looking forward to,” she said.
Badu urged her teammates to approach the Scorchers with a different mindset, stressing that past meetings should not influence their preparations for the knockout tie.
Malawi reached the quarter-finals after topping Group C while Ghana advanced as Group D runners-up.
The Black Queens secured their place in the last eight after drawing 1-1 with Mali in their final Group D match.
Badu gave Ghana the lead with a towering header on the stroke of half-time before Kadidiatou Diabaté levelled for Mali early in the second half.
