The Black Queens of Ghana suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Cote d'Ivoire in an international friendly match played on Tuesday evening at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

This encounter came just days after both teams produced a thrilling 3-3 draw, where Ghana surrendered a lead late in the game.

Looking to build on that performance, Coach Kim Lars made two changes to his starting lineup, retaining experienced names like goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan, captain Portia Boakye, Doris Boaduwaa, and Grace Asantewaa.

The first half was tightly contested, with both sides showing attacking intent. Ghana had the better chances, coming closest through Sherifatu Sumaila, whose effort struck the post.

However, Cote d'Ivoire broke the deadlock just seven minutes into the second half, capitalizing on a brief lapse in the Ghanaian defense.

Ghana thought they had equalized in the 63rd minute when Doris Boaduwaa found the net, but her effort was ruled out for offside.

The Black Queens pushed forward in search of a goal, dominating much of the latter stages, but their efforts were ultimately unrewarded as the match ended in favor of the hosts.

Both teams are using these friendlies as preparation ahead of the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers, with coaches assessing their squads and fine-tuning tactics for the continental showdown.