Ghana's champions crash out of the 2026 CAF Women's Champions League as a first-half penalty save is undone by Rose Baah's red card against AS FAR.
Ghana's Ampem Darkoa Ladies will not be playing in the semi-finals of the 2026 CAF Women's Champions League. The Ghanaian champions went down 2-0 to defending champions AS FAR in their final Group B match, and a red card for goalkeeper Rose Baah decided the night.
It began so well for Ampem Darkoa. They thrashed Mali's USFAS Bamako 5-1 in their opener, then edged Uganda's Kawempe Muslim Ladies 2-1 to put themselves within reach of the knockout rounds. Against AS FAR, a result would have kept their hopes alive.
Baah looked like the hero at first. Just before half-time, she saved a crucial penalty to stop the Moroccan side from taking the lead and kept Ampem Darkoa level at the break. Then, five minutes after the restart, it unravelled. Baah was sent off after appearing to stomp on an opponent's lower abdomen once she had collected the ball.
Playing with ten players, Ampem Darkoa had too much to do, and AS FAR took control to close out the 2-0 win. The result left AS FAR, Kawempe Muslim Ladies and Ampem Darkoa all level on six points in Group B. All three had beaten USFAS Bamako, so those results were left out of the head-to-head calculations that settled who went through.
A group decided by such fine margins shows how competitive African women's club football is becoming. Ghana, Morocco, Uganda and Mali all brought sides capable of beating each other, and the gap between them was down to a penalty save and a red card. Ampem Darkoa will have to reflect on what might have been, but they showed they belong on this stage.
