Malawi W vs Ghana W

Ghana needed less than 10 minutes to seize control at the Stade Municipal de Berrechid. Doris Boaduwaa opened the scoring in the 8th minute, finishing a chance that arrived after sustained early pressure from the Black Queens. The goal settled any nerves and set the tone for a one-sided contest.

Boaduwaa struck again in the 37th minute, doubling Ghana's lead before half-time and effectively taking the game away from Malawi. She completed her hat-trick just two minutes after the restart (47'), a clinical finish that made it 3-0 and ended the match as a contest.

Sharon Sampson added a fourth in the 74th minute with a composed finish after a well-worked team move, capping a display that Björkegren later described as a return to the side's true identity.

Boaduwaa's 8th-minute opener. Ghana had drawn a blank against Tanzania four days earlier (0-0 on 20 July), and a slow start here could have fed doubt. Instead, the early goal unlocked the space and confidence that characterised the rest of the performance. Björkegren noted the difference in pitch size compared to the Tanzania game: "Today we were back in a normal stadium and normal size pitch. So the space was more open for us to play a better football."

Doris Boaduwaa (Player of the Match) — Hat-trick hero inside 47 minutes. The forward, who was named Ghana's 2025 Women's Footballer of the Year, delivered a hat-trick across 39 minutes of game time, scoring with her left foot, her right, and a deft chip. She carried her prolific qualifying form into the warm-up schedule at precisely the right moment.

Sharon Sampson — Added the fourth goal in the 74th minute with a composed finish that underlined Ghana's depth in attack. Her movement off the ball created space for Boaduwaa's early runs, and she could have had a second.

Ghana's defensive unit — Another clean sheet, extending a run that Björkegren noted "for how many in a row now, but many for sure." Malawi rarely threatened, managing no clear-cut chances across the 90 minutes.

The provider data shows Ghana led 2-0 at half-time and added two more after the break, reflecting a team that grew in confidence rather than eased off. The 4-0 scoreline was built on a first-half platform rather than a late flurry — three of the four goals arrived before the 50th minute. Ghana's recent form since March 2026 reads: wins against Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, and now Malawi, with only the goalless draw against Tanzania (20 July) as a blemish. Malawi, by contrast, have lost three of their last four friendlies since June 2026, including a 2-1 defeat to Morocco on 16 July.

This was Ghana's final tune-up before the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Morocco on 25 July. Ghana enter the tournament in Group D alongside Cameroon, Mali and Cape Verde. The Black Queens open their campaign against Cape Verde on 29 July.

Ghana finished third at the last WAFCON edition and are aiming for their first continental title. The emphatic win over Malawi — coupled with clean sheets against Ivory Coast (1-0 on 14 July) and Tanzania (0-0) — has built momentum at the right time. The win also means Ghana finish their pre-WAFCON friendly schedule unbeaten.

"It was an important game for us to bounce back a little bit," Björkegren told ChannelOne TV. "We felt that we didn't perform in the best way against Tanzania. We are good in the defence again, another clean sheet."

Malawi, who also qualified for WAFCON 2026, will be in Group A alongside hosts Morocco, Burkina Faso and DR Congo. The 4-0 defeat exposed defensive vulnerabilities that will need addressing before their tournament opener.

Ghana's most complete performance of the pre-WAFCON window. Boaduwaa's hat-trick was the headline, but the structure — early goal, controlled tempo, clean sheet — showed a side peaking at the right moment. Björkegren's side carry momentum and a settled XI into the tournament. Malawi, beaten 4-0 in the same fixture last year (3-1 in 2025, now 4-0 in 2026), have work to do before their group-stage opener.