The Black Princesses of Ghana kicked off their 13th African Games women's football tournament campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ethiopia at the Cape Coast Stadium on Saturday evening.
In a game that saw Ghana struggle to assert its dominance in the early stages, the host nation gradually matched the Ethiopians' energy as the encounter progressed. Despite their best efforts, both teams failed to break the deadlock in the first half, leaving the score goalless at the interval.
The second half, however, saw the Black Princesses step up their game, with Comfort Owusu scoring the game's only goal in the 59th minute. The goal, which came after a period of sustained pressure from Ghana, was a just reward for the host nation's determination and persistence.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 78th minute when Abiba Issah was shown a second yellow card, reducing Ghana to ten players. Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Black Princesses continued to push for a second goal, with Mukarama coming close in the 84th minute. However, her effort hit the woodwork, denying Ghana a two-goal cushion.
The victory, which was greeted with wild celebrations from the home crowd, sees Ghana top their group with three points. The Black Princesses will be looking to build on this positive start when they take on their next opponents in the coming days.