Day Four of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco officially brought the opening round of group-stage matches to a thrilling close. 

With Group D taking centre stage at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, tournament heavyweights Ghana and Cameroon both secured vital opening wins.

Skeptics originally feared that expanding the tournament to 16 teams would dilute the quality, but Day Four proved that African women's football is more competitive than ever. Striver.Football recaps what we learned from a high-stakes day of action.

Ghana's Black Queens Make A Statement

After shockingly missing out on the last edition, Ghana made a commanding return to the continental stage. 

Their 2-0 victory over debutants Cape Verde showcased tactical maturity, defensive discipline, and an inability to be rattled by the occasion. 

Doris Boaduwaa opened the scoring in the 6th minute, lobbing the ball over the keeper after an assist from Portia Boakye.Ghana doubled their lead in the 54th minute when a dangerous attack forced Cape Verde's Eleia Vieira into an own goal.

Cape Verde's frustrations peaked in stoppage time when Kleydiana Borges received a straight red card following a VAR review.

By controlling the midfield tempo and striking at pivotal moments, the Black Queens instantly positioned themselves as the frontrunners to top Group D.

Marie Ngah Manga Announces Herself On The WAFCON Stage

With veteran forwards transitioning out of the national setup, Cameroon's Indomitable Lionesses desperately needed a new focal point in attack. Marie Ngah Manga stepped up spectacularly, scoring both goals in a tight 2-1 triumph over a resilient Mali side.

Ngah Manga brought down a lofted pass with her chest and finished calmly to put the Indomitable Lionesses ahead in the 14th minute.

Aissata Traore converted a penalty in the 30th minute to make it 1-1 after being brought down by Cameroon's goalkeeper.

Ngah Manga completed her brace by converting a 73rd-minute penalty after Mali's keeper committed a foul in the box.

Her elite spatial awareness and clinical finishing ensured Cameroon walked away with three vital points, despite an intense physical battle.

Cape Verde Belongs on the Big Stage

Despite a 2-0 loss on their tournament debut, Cape Verde proved they will not be push-overs. Showing incredible organizational structure against a historically powerhouse Ghana side, the Blue Sharks fought hard and frustrated the Ghanaian frontline for large portions of the match.

If they can refine their final-third execution, they could easily cause an upset against Mali or Cameroon in the coming days.

Penalty Box Discipline Is Proving Decisive

Margins at this expanded tournament are razor-thin, and defensive discipline in the penalty box is proving to be the ultimate differentiator. In the Cameroon vs Mali clash, both sides found themselves deadlocked after Mali's Aissata Traore converted a first-half penalty. 

Ultimately, the match was decided by another spot-kick awarded to Cameroon in the 73rd minute. Keeping a cool head under pressure is a necessity for survival in this physical group.

There Are No Easy Matches At WAFCON 2026

The entire first round of games—capped off by Day Four—has sent a warning shot to the continent's traditional giants. 

Heavyweights like South Africa and Nigeria suffered shock opening-day defeats on Days Two and Three, and Day Four's battles proved that the gap between the historic powerhouses and rising nations has completely closed. Group D is now a wide-open battleground.

WAFCON 2026 Matchday Four By the Numbers

5 – Total goals scored across the two Group D fixtures.

2 – Goals scored by Cameroon's Marie Ngah Manga, making her the early star of Group D.

2 – Penalties awarded and converted during the physical Cameroon vs Mali match.

1 – Historic WAFCON debut appearance completed by Cape Verde.

0 – Goals conceded by Ghana, giving them the edge at the top of the table on goal difference.