Ampem Darkoa Ladies’ bid to reach the semi-finals of the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League came to a heartbreaking end after a 2-0 defeat to defending champions AS FAR in their decisive Group B encounter.
The Ghanaian champions entered the final group match knowing a positive result would keep their knockout-stage hopes alive after an impressive start to the tournament, but a second-half red card for goalkeeper Rose Baah ultimately proved decisive.
Charles Anokye Frimpong’s side had enjoyed an excellent opening to the competition, thrashing Mali’s USFAS Bamako 5-1 before recording a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim Ladies to put themselves in a strong position to qualify.
They also produced a determined display against the reigning champions in the opening half, with Baah emerging as the hero just before the interval by saving a penalty to keep the scores level and hand Ampem Darkoa renewed belief.
However, the match took a dramatic turn five minutes after the restart.
Baah was shown a straight red card after an incident in which she appeared to stamp on an AS FAR player following a challenge inside the penalty area. The dismissal left the Ghanaian champions with ten players for the remainder of the contest.
AS FAR capitalised on their numerical advantage, scoring twice in the second half to secure a 2-0 victory and book their place in the semi-finals.
The defeat left AS FAR, Ampem Darkoa Ladies and Kawempe Muslim Ladies level on six points in Group B. Since all three teams had defeated USFAS Bamako, results against the Malian club were excluded under the competition’s head-to-head regulations.
Qualification was therefore determined by the mini-league involving the three tied teams, with Ampem Darkoa finishing third in the head-to-head standings and narrowly missing out on a place in the last four.
Despite the painful exit, the Ghanaian champions can take pride in an impressive campaign that saw them win two of their three group matches and score seven goals, highlighting their ability to compete with Africa’s elite clubs.
Attention will now shift back to domestic football, where Ampem Darkoa will focus on defending their Gold Fields Ghana Women’s Premier League title while aiming to secure another opportunity to represent Ghana on the continental stage next season.
