Atlas Lionesses edge resilient Ghana 4‑2 on spot‑kicks to keep dream of first continental crown alive.
Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses survived a nerve‑jangling semi‑final against Ghana, eventually prevailing 4‑2 on penalties in Rabat and, therefore, setting up a mouth‑watering Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) showdown with nine‑time champions Nigeria.
Although the Black Queens dominated early exchanges and, indeed, struck first through Stella Nyamekye on 26 minutes, the hosts regrouped swiftly after the interval and levelled thanks to a composed Sakina Ouzraoui finish ten minutes later.
Consequently, the Olympic Stadium crackled with tension as neither side could find another breakthrough, even after extra time.
However, while Ghana had knocked out Algeria via a shoot‑out in the quarter‑finals, this time their nerve deserted them.
Evelyn Badu dragged her side’s third effort wide, and, moreover, 18‑year‑old Comfort Yeboah saw her decisive kick saved by Khadija Er‑Rmichi.
Conversely, Morocco were faultless from twelve yards, as Hanane Aït El Haj, Ibtissam Jraidi, Kenza Chapelle and Anissa Lahmari all converted with icy assurance to delight a capacity home crowd.
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Although the Black Queens travelled to Morocco with modest expectations, they grew into the tournament impressively. Indeed, former England youth international Chantelle Boye‑Hlorkah carved the semi‑final’s first opening after only ten minutes, whereas Nyamekye’s relentless running repeatedly unsettled Jorge Vilda’s back line.
Yet Vilda, who lifted the 2023 World Cup with Spain, reacted smartly; replacing Elodie Nakkach with Najat Badri before half‑time helped Morocco wrest control of midfield.
Lionesses roar back after break, Ghana’s search for maiden continental title continues
Nevertheless, Ghana will rue missed chances either side of the break. Three minutes after Boye‑Hlorkah’s sighter, Nyamekye opted to shoot early instead of exploiting acres of space, and later she failed to punish a rare Er‑Rmichi mis‑cue.
Meanwhile, Morocco grew increasingly assertive: Badri forced a smart save from Cynthia Konlan moments before Ouzraoui’s equaliser and, thereafter, the hosts penned Ghana deep for long spells.
Even so, extra time delivered one final twist when Yeboah’s long‑range strike was spilled by Er‑Rmichi, only for Badu to react a fraction too late.
From there, momentum – and, critically, crowd energy – shifted decisively toward Morocco. Because they had beaten Nigeria on penalties in 2022, the Lionesses swaggered into the shoot‑out believing destiny remained on their side; therefore, their flawless conversion sequence felt almost inevitable.
Tags: Morocco, Ghana, #MORGHA, #WAFCON2024, #MissionX, Super Falcons, Zambia, Stella Nyamekye, Sakina Ouzraoui, Black Queens, Er‑Rmichi.
