By sammy Heywood
ABIDJAN, February 26, 2018 – Ghana were crowned champions of the maiden 2018 WAFU Women’s Cup after the Black Queens earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory against host nation Ivory Coast.
Janet Egyir’s goal in the first half ensured the Black Queens got a sweet revenge for a 1-0 defeat in their opening match of the competition against the hosts.
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.
Tagoe, a former player, becomes the first female coach to win a trophy with the Black Queens. She will be hoping for the big one – that is the Africa Cup of Nations which gets underway in Ghana in November.
How they qualified
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 defeating 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 and Burkina Faso before that significant 5-4 win on penalties against Nigeria after 1-1 in regulation time.
The Ghanaians 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 up 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