Ghana’s Black Queens suffered a narrow defeat in their international friendly against Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses, conceding a late goal at the Père Jégo Stadium in Casablanca on Friday afternoon.
The match marked the debut of Swedish coach Kim Lars Björkegren, who recently took over the women’s senior national team on a two-year contract following the departure of Nora Häuptle.
Björkegren was on the brink of securing a positive result in his first game in charge until a last-minute strike changed the outcome.
Morocco’s Sakina Ouzraoui capitalized on a partially cleared ball in stoppage time, firing a low shot past the Ghanaian defense to hand the hosts a 1-0 victory.
Despite creating scoring opportunities, the Black Queens were unable to find the back of the net, with Sharifatu Sumaila and Doris Boaduwaa both coming close.
The friendly served as part of Ghana’s preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), set to take place in July.
The Black Queens have been drawn in Group C alongside South Africa, Mali, and Tanzania.
Björkegren will now shift his focus to securing his first victory when Ghana faces Moroccan club side Raja Athletic in their final warm-up match on Monday, February 24, 2025.