Ghana’s national female netball team, the Golden Maidens, opened their two-day international friendly series in emphatic fashion on Thursday, defeating Côte d’Ivoire 73–6 at the Accra Sports Stadium’s Osu-End Court.

The match, organized by the Netball Federation of Ghana (NFG), saw Ghana dominate from the opening whistle and maintain control throughout the encounter.

Ghana started the match at a high tempo, moving the ball quickly across the court and applying sustained pressure on the Ivorian defence. The hosts’ attacking unit converted their opportunities efficiently, while the defensive line disrupted Côte d’Ivoire’s attempts to establish any meaningful rhythm.

The Golden Maidens established a substantial advantage in the opening quarter and continued to build on it as the match progressed. Their combination of accurate passing, strong movement and effective finishing allowed Ghana to repeatedly penetrate the Ivorian defensive third.

Côte d’Ivoire found it difficult to contain Ghana’s attacking pressure and struggled to create consistent scoring opportunities of their own. Ghana’s defensive organization forced several turnovers, which were quickly converted into attacking opportunities at the opposite end.



By halftime, Ghana had established a commanding lead, leaving Côte d’Ivoire with a significant deficit to overcome.



The second half followed a similar pattern, with Ghana maintaining its intensity and extending the advantage through the final two quarters. Despite Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to respond, the visitors were unable to significantly alter the course of the contest.

The Golden Maidens ultimately completed the match with a 73–6 victory, recording a dominant opening result in the friendly series.

The fixture forms part of the NFG’s efforts to provide the national team with increased international exposure while strengthening Ghana’s preparations for future continental competitions. It also provides an opportunity for the technical team to assess players, combinations and tactical approaches in a competitive international setting.

For Côte d’Ivoire, the series offers valuable international match experience as the team continues its own development within the West African netball landscape.

The second encounter of the two-day series is scheduled for Friday, September 11, giving both sides another opportunity to compete and assess their progress.

Ghana’s emphatic opening victory will provide the Golden Maidens with confidence as they continue their preparations for upcoming international assignments, while the series itself represents another step toward strengthening women’s netball competition and development in the region.