By OkayGoal 
Kim Lars Bjkegren
Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Bjkegren has played down concerns over mounting pressure on his players as Ghana prepare for a must-win Group D encounter against Mali at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Black Queens head into Thursday’s decisive fixture knowing that victory will secure a place in the quarter-finals after a mixed start to their campaign in Morocco.
Ghana opened the tournament with an impressive win over tournament newcomers Cape Verde but missed the chance to seal early qualification after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in their second group match.
Despite the high stakes surrounding the final group fixture, Bjkegren says his squad remains calm and focused ahead of the contest.
“We don’t have any pressure at all, not for a single second,” the Swedish coach told reporters during his pre-match press conference.
“I think for the girlsI can’t talk for thembut they look pretty relaxed. We have, of course, been talking about football and things like that, but we also try to relax a little bit and talk about other things.”
The Black Queens will be aiming to return to winning ways against a determined Mali side, with a place in the last eight and hopes of progressing towards qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup still within reach.
The decisive Group D showdown is scheduled to kick off at 20:00 GMT at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca.