A goal in each half gave the Lionesses of England a 2 to 0 victory over Ghana’s women’s national team, the Black Queens, in an international friendly at St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton on Tuesday night. The match marked the first ever meeting between the two nations and concluded England’s homecoming series celebrating their Euro 2025 championship triumph.
Having qualified for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), the Ghanaians went into the game determined to test themselves against the European champions. However, the Lionesses took the lead in the sixth minute through Aston Villa midfielder Lucia Kendall, who scored her maiden England goal after pouncing on a poor clearance by Ghana defender Benedicte Simon eight yards out following a cross from Chloe Kelly.
After scoring, England continued to pile on the pressure but were unable to add to the score before halftime as the Black Queens’ defense stayed resolute and goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan made several good saves. The first half took place almost entirely in the Ghana half, with Aggie Beever-Jones drawing a save from the foot of Konlan and Missy Bo Kearns going close with a cross that outfoxed the Ghana defense.
The closest England came to doubling the lead before the break was when Beth Mead found Kearns who fired straight at Konlan, with the keeper parrying it behind well. From the resulting corner, Kendall rose well and headed against the crossbar, showing the hosts’ dominance despite Ghana’s defensive resilience.
Kelly was forced off after 23 minutes with what appeared to be a leg injury, making way for Mead. The substitution raised concerns for Arsenal with two key Champions League fixtures scheduled before Christmas, though England maintained their grip on the game despite the change.
England remained in control after the break but struggled to break down the more disciplined Ghanaian defense. Lauren Hemp and Katie Hinds delivered dangerous balls into the box but Konlan stayed alert to gather both attempts, frustrating the home side’s efforts to extend their lead.
A lovely free kick move saw substitute Alessia Russo bring a good save out of Konlan as Ghana continued to resist the England onslaught. The Lionesses kept the pressure on the Black Queens, and their efforts eventually paid off when Russo earned and converted a penalty in the 96th minute to make it 2 to 0 for England.
The penalty was awarded after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review ruled that the ball struck the arm of Ghana defender Comfort Yeboah during a penalty box scramble following Russo’s initial header attempt. Russo stepped up and side footed the spot kick into the bottom right corner to seal the win for the Lionesses.
The 20,252 spectators in Southampton witnessed a confident start from an England team that had beaten China 8 to 0 on November 29. Despite seven changes to the Lionesses lineup, the hosts settled quickly and demonstrated their quality throughout the match, though victory by two goals hardly reflected their dominance.
England ended 2025 with another win, making it three victories from four matches in their celebratory tour around the country. The result extends the Lionesses’ unbeaten run to 40 matches when facing an opponent for the first time, having won their last 12 such games by an aggregate score of 67 to 1.
Ghana produced a performance that should boost their hopes for the upcoming WAFCON in Morocco and 2027 World Cup qualifying. The Black Queens, who earned bronze medals at the last WAFCON, showed resilience and tactical discipline against one of the world’s leading footballing nations despite the defeat.
The match provided valuable experience against European opposition ahead of future continental competitions. For Ghanaian women’s football, fixtures against top ranked nations offer visibility and validation for a programme that has grown significantly in recent years, with the bronze medal at WAFCON demonstrating the team’s competitive level within Africa.
Coach Kim Björkegren’s side proved they could compete at the highest level, limiting England to just one goal in open play despite sustained pressure throughout the 90 minutes. The performance in Southampton could boost confidence and provide crucial lessons as the team prepares for upcoming African competitions and their World Cup qualifying campaign.
