Algeria, who had qualified for the knockout stage for the first time, may possess a miserly defence well marshalled by N’Gazi, but up front they only managed one goal in four outings during their stay in Morocco.

Their best chance of the quarter-final came as early as the third minute when the North Africans worked the ball across the box to Lina Boussaha, only for the winger to scuff her left-footed shot straight at Konlan.

Ghana had the ball in the net midway through the first half after Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah was released down the right flank and her cut-back was picked up by Nyamekye, who stepped inside onto her right foot and lashed high into the net from just inside the area.

Yet the effort was chalked off after a lengthy VAR check, which showed London City Lionesses forward Boye-Hlorkah had been ahead of the last defender by mere inches.

With few clear cut chances, and Algeria in particular labouring in attack, penalties appeared inevitable from midway through the second half.

Les Vertes were immediately on the back foot in the shootout when Dafeur, after a long wait for the referee’s whistle, placed her left-footed effort too close to Konlan.

N’Gazi had been named as the best goalkeeper from the group stage but had little chance of reaching Ghana’s well-placed penalties and her opposite number saved again in the third round when she leapt to her left to palm away full-back Belloumou’s strike.

Badu was left to win it – and make amends for the chance she passed up late in the game – to put the Black Queens into the last four for the first time since 2016.

The West Africans have finished as Wafcon runners-up three times and will now have to pull off an upset against Morocco if they are to go on and claim their first continental title.