Morocco into Wafcon final after shootout victory

Sakina Ouzraoui (left) scored her first goal of Wafcon 2024 to help take her country into a second successive final

Hosts Morocco will face Nigeria in the final of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations after beating Ghana 4-2 in a penalty shootout at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.

The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and neither side could break the deadlock in extra time.

Evelyn Badu struck Ghana's third penalty wide and, with Morocco maintaining a perfect record from the spot, the pressure was too much for 18-year-old Comfort Yeboah whose effort was saved by the diving Khadija Er-Rmichi.

The game had started very differently for the Black Queens, who were the better side in the first half and took the lead in the 26th minute through Stella Nyamekye.

Morocco came to life after the break and found their equaliser through winger Sakina Ouzraoui 10 minutes into the second period.

The result means the Atlas Lionesses will contest a second consecutive final on home soil, looking to lift the Wafcon trophy for the first time and deny Nigeria - who beat holders South Africa 2-1 in their semi-final - a record-extending 10th title.

Morocco's perfect penalty record

Having required penalties to beat Nigeria in the semi-finals three years ago, Morocco knew there was every chance a different West African opponent could cause them angst again on their own patch.

And that's exactly how it turned out against a Ghana side who have improved as the tournament has gone on.

Following some physical opening exchanges, married by nervousness from both sides, it was former England youth international Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, one of the Black Queens' standout players in Morocco, who had the first real chance, hitting her effort into the arms of Er-Rmichi after 10 minutes.

Three minutes later, Ghana wasted another chance as Nyamekye decided against carrying the ball into space and shot from distance, leading to another comfortable save.

Nyamekye's opener came after a long ball found its way to full-back Josephine Bonsu, whose powerful header forced a fine reflex save from Er-Rmichi that merely allowed the lurking forward, who plays for Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League, to tuck home the rebound.

Nyamekye continued to be a livewire presence for the rest of the half, causing problems for the North Africans' defence and helping to regularly turn over possession.

Morocco's World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda, who made two changes to his starting line-up after none for the first four games of the tournament, sensed trouble and made a tactical change 10 minutes after the goal.

Off went central midfielder Elodie Nakkach to be replaced by Najat Badri, reversing one of those pre-match alterations.

The hosts only really threatened their opponents once in the first half, when captain Ghizlane Chebbak went down in the area following a tussle with defender Susan Duah in injury time. The officials correctly waved away the penalty claims.

The second half, however, saw roles entirely reversed, with Morocco dominating.

Badri had already forced a sharp stop from Cynthia Konlan before Ouzraoui equalised, collecting a long ball to finish past the Ghana keeper.

Er-Rmichi nearly immediately gifted Nyamekye a second, only to see the 19-year-old pay the price for being hasty and shooting early rather than composing herself.

Although Morocco continued to control proceedings, extra time looked inevitable.

Ghana's best opportunity to win it came in the first half of extra time when the two players who would shortly suffer penalty heartbreak combined.

Yeboah's speculative shot from range was nervously parried back into play by Er- Rmichi, with Badu lurking and nearly able to tuck home.

Just as in their semi-final shootout against Nigeria at Wafcon 2022, Morocco were faultless on penalties.

Hanane Ait El Haj, Ibtissam Jraidi, Kenza Chapelle and Anissa Lahmari all converted, putting the pressure back on a Ghana side who defeated Algeria on spot-kicks in their quarter-final.

And while Bonsu and Alice Kusi scored in the first two rounds, Badu and Yeboah could not find the net.

It meant the three-time runners-up have now failed to win any of their six knockout matches played against Wafcon host nations.

Like Ghana, Morocco have never claimed a continental title.

They will hope Saturday's final against Nigeria sees a fresh name etched on the new Wafcon trophy, a reward for the country's huge investment in the women's game.