Ivory Coast Women 1:2 Ghana Women: Match Result

Match report

Ghana claim Africa Cup of Nations title with penalty strike victory

Ghana defeated Côte d'Ivoire 2:1 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations for women on 13 August 2026. The hosts opened the scoring through a penalty, but Ghana turned the match around to claim their first major trophy. By then the visitors had shown why they finished second in the group stage despite losing once.

I. Konan converted a penalty in the fourth minute for Côte d'Ivoire, taking an early lead in what looked like an even contest. Ghana's Portia Boakye received a yellow card in the twenty-fifth minute as the match settled into a pattern. Côte d'Ivoire's Anastasie Gbehi was booked in the thirty-eighth minute, and the hosts seemed content to wait for their next opportunity.

P. Marfo equalised for Ghana in the fifty-ninth minute, a moment that shifted the momentum entirely. The visitors had controlled possession at 57 per cent but needed clinical finishing. Côte d'Ivoire substituted their goalscorer I. Konan in the seventy-eighth minute, perhaps sensing the tide turning.

Then came the decisive moment. A. J. Bonsu Kyerewaa scored a penalty for Ghana in the seventy-second minute, putting the visitors ahead for the first time. The hosts had been dangerous early on, but Ghana's composure in attack told in the closing stages. And here's the thing — two penalties decided this final, and both fell in the second half.

The statistics tell a story of efficiency over volume. Côte d'Ivoire registered only two shots on target from five attempts, while Ghana hit the target five times from ten shots. Possession favoured the visitors at 57 per cent, but the accuracy difference was what separated them. Both sides received two yellow cards each, with no red cards to complicate matters.

Ghana's victory moves them ahead in the tournament standings, though the final table position remains to be confirmed. Côte d'Ivoire had topped the group stage with seven points from three games, but the final was decided in moments rather than accumulated form. The hosts will need to reflect on why chances went begging when it mattered most.

Prepared from match data

Key numbers

Possession, % 43 – 57.00

Shots on target 2 – 5

Shots off target 3 – 5

Attacks 126 – 122

⚽ 4' I. Konan — Penalty 🟨 13' Bernadette Amani Kakounan — Yellow card 🟨 25' Portia Boakye — Yellow card 🟨 38' anastasie gbehi — Yellow card ⇄ 45+1' D. Boaduwaa — Substitution ⚽ 59' P. Marfo — Goal ⇄ 72' E. Dagba — Substitution ⚽ 72' A. J. Bonsu Kyerewaa — Penalty ⇄ 78' I. Konan — Substitution ⇄ 83' S. Duah — Substitution ⇄ 83' S. Nyamekye — Substitution 🟨 85' evelyn badu — Yellow card ⇄ 90' G. Asantewaa — Substitution

Match events

4' 1:0 Ivory Coast Women Penalty I. Konan
13' 1:0 Ivory Coast Women Yellow card Bernadette Amani Kakounan
25' 1:0 Ghana Women Yellow card Portia Boakye
38' 1:0 Ivory Coast Women Yellow card anastasie gbehi
45+1' 1:0 Ghana Women Substitution D. Boaduwaa off: E. Badu
59' 1:1 Ghana Women Goal P. Marfo assist: S. Nyamekye
72' 1:1 Ivory Coast Women Substitution E. Dagba off: A. Diallo
72' 1:2 Ghana Women Penalty A. J. Bonsu Kyerewaa
78' 1:2 Ivory Coast Women Substitution I. Konan off: A. Abrogoua
83' 1:2 Ghana Women Substitution S. Duah off: A. Opoku
83' 1:2 Ghana Women Substitution S. Nyamekye off: S. Sampson
85' 1:2 Ghana Women Yellow card evelyn badu
90' 1:2 Ghana Women Substitution G. Asantewaa off: L. Owusu

Statistics

43 Possession, % 57.00

2 Shots on target 5

3 Shots off target 5

126 Attacks 122

4 Corners 2

17 Free kicks 15

2 Offsides 4

2 Yellow cards 2

0 Red cards 0

0 Goal kicks 0

21 Throw-ins 27

All statistics

3 Blocked shots 3

0.25 Shot accuracy 0.38

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