Nigeria, July 9 -- Ghana's Black Queens will head into their second Group C fixture at WAFCON 2024 with mounting pressure, following a 2-0 defeat to reigning champions South Africa in their tournament opener.

Despite a spirited performance and several missed chances, the result leaves Kim Lars Bjorkegren's side in urgent need of a response as they prepare for a crucial West African derby against Mali - a match that could define their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.

The loss, suffered in Oujda, Morocco, marked a difficult start for Ghana under their Swedish coach appointed barely six months ago.

While the scoreboard reflected South Africa's clinical edge, it didn't fully capture the competitiveness of the encounter.

Ghana c...