Ghana’s Black Queens have taken a commanding advantage in the second round of the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers after defeating Mauritius 3-0 in the first leg.
The emphatic victory in Mauritius puts Ghana in a strong position as the team continues its quest to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren made several changes to his regular defensive setup, pairing Diana Amoako with debutant Margaret Agyapomaa at centre-back, while Afi Amenyeku started in goal.
Comfort Yeboah and Benedicte Simon operated as the full-backs, with Jennifer Cudjoe, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah and Evelyn Badu forming the midfield.
Abigail Kim led the attack, supported on the flanks by Alice Kusi and Stella Nyamekye.
The Black Queens took some time to settle into the game but broke the deadlock after just 16 minutes.
Stella Nyamekye was released down the right wing and delivered a low cross into the box, where Abigail Kim was on hand to finish from close range and give Ghana a 1-0 lead.
The Black Queens doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Alice Kusi found the back of the net after connecting with Comfort Yeboah’s inch-perfect cross.
Mauritius attempted to withstand Ghana’s pressure after conceding the second goal, but the hosts’ defence was breached again before the break.
Yeboah was involved once more, providing the pass for Benedicte Simon, who produced a superb finish into the top-left corner to make it 3-0.
Ghana went into halftime with a comfortable three-goal lead.
After the break, Bjorkegren made changes to his side, introducing Nancy Amoh, Josephine Bonsu and Zakaria Ajegipina as he sought to maintain Ghana’s dominance.
The Black Queens continued to control proceedings and created opportunities to extend their advantage, but they were unable to add to their tally.
The match therefore ended 3-0 in favour of Ghana, giving the Black Queens a significant advantage heading into the second leg.
The return fixture is scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, October 13, with Ghana looking to complete the job and advance to the next stage of the Olympic qualifying campaign.
