The Black Queens took the lead inside the opening ten minutes and controlled the contest throughout, restricting Cape Verde to very few sights of goal on their historic maiden appearance at the continental showpiece.
Doris Boaduwaa, fresh off a hat-trick in the pre-tournament friendly win over Malawi, needed only six minutes to break the deadlock.
A well weighted Portia Boakye long pass found the Ghana forward who timed her run perfectly through the middle before dinking the ball over the onrushing Jacinta Rodrigues.
The lead should have been doubled inside the quarter-hour. Princess Marfo won the ball high up the pitch in a dangerous area, immediately laid it off to Boaduwaa, but the forward’s effort was gathered by Rodrigues, who kept Cape Verde within touching distance for the remainder of the half.
At the interval, Björkegren made one attacking change, replacing Marfo with Sharon Sampson. The switch paid off almost immediately, with Sampson bringing sharper energy on the left and helping Ghana take the game back to Cape Verde in the second period.
The second goal duly arrived but in slightly fortuitous fashion. A driving Ghana attack ended with Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah delivering a cross into a dangerous zone at the far post, where Cape Verde defender Eleia Vieira could only turn the ball into her own net under pressure.
It was no less than the Black Queens deserved, and it settled any nerves that had crept in around the one-goal cushion.
Ghana kept pressing for a third. Boaduwaa was again through on goal after another slick counter-attacking move, only to see her effort saved by Rodrigues. Second-half substitute Princella Adubea reached the rebound but sent her follow-up over the crossbar.
Moments later, Boaduwaa rose to meet a free-kick delivery with a free header inside the box, but could only steer her attempt wide of the far post.
Cape Verde’s difficult night got worse in stoppage time when Kleydiana Borges was shown a straight red card for dangerous play, reducing the debutants to ten women as the whistle approached.
For Kim Lars Bjorkegren, it was the opening statement he had promised on the eve of the tournament. A Black Queens side that pressed high, defended firmly, and created the better chances against a well-organised debutant.
Ghana continue their Group C campaign against Cameroon on Saturday, August 2, at the same Moulay Rachid Stadium. Cape Verde face Mali on the same day.
Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.
WAFCON 2026
The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is taking place from July 26th to August 16th in Morocco, across venues in Rabat and Casablanca. The continent's 16 best sides are competing in groups of four before the knockout stages commence on August 8th.
All you need to know about WAFCON | Group standings, fixtures and results | All the latest WAFCON news
