Ghana coach Kim Lars Björkegren expressed pride in his team’s performance despite a 2-0 loss to England in their international friendly at St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton.

Match Recap


  • 6th minute – Lucia Kendall (England): Pounced on a loose ball to give the Lionesses an early lead.

  • First half resilience: England dominated possession and struck the woodwork, but Ghana’s compact defending and goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan’s saves kept the scoreline tight.

  • 96th minute – Alessia Russo (England): Converted a stoppage-time penalty after a handball by Ghana captain Portia Boakye, sealing the result.

Björkegren’s Reaction

The Swedish coach praised his players’ effort and stressed perspective:

“As a coach, you always want to win. But we are 67th in the world and faced a team that may be the best in the world right now. We can be proud of our performance, and we feel we are moving in the right direction.”

Looking Ahead


  • The Black Queens used the match to test new combinations and build cohesion.

  • Focus now shifts to preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, scheduled for 17 March – 3 April.

  • Björkegren’s emphasis remains on progress, identity, and resilience as Ghana aim to make a strong continental impact.

This friendly may not have delivered a win, but it offered valuable lessons and confidence-building moments for the Black Queens as they continue their upward trajectory under Björkegren.