Ghana's quest for honours in the African Women’s Championship begun on a brighter note as the Black Queens moved to the top of Group B with a 1-0 win over Mali.

The Black Queens scored the match winner through Tahiru Rumanatu.

A counter-attack resulted by Ghana saw Tahiru Rumanatu scoring the only goal of the game in the 56th minute to give the Black Queens a win in their opening game at the tournament.

Earlier in the day Cameroon, the 2004 runners-up, were held to a 1-1 draw by ten-man DR Congo in Ughelli.

In Group A, defending champions, Nigeria beat Equatorial Guinea 4-2 in Warri while South Africa swept Algeria aside with a 4-0 win in Oleh.

Ghana plays Cameroon in their second group game in Ughelli on Wednesday.

Ghana’s Black Queens, two-time runners-up are attempting a first major continental success.

The two finalist would battle it out for the title at stake and secure automatic qualification to the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup scheduled for China in September.

The Black Queens are hopeful of clinching the continental title, which they have missed out narrowly on two occasions, losing out to Nigeria in both finals.

Ghana, highly rated in women’s football are bent of rewriting the scripts in the female sport which Nigeria has seemingly dominated with the Super Falcons eyeing a fifth African Women's Championship.

The Black Queens remain the only team in Africa to have beaten Nigeria, with a 1-0 victory in the 2002 edition of the African Women's Championship.

Line-up for Ghana:

Gladys Enti, Yaa Ave, Mavis Danso, Olivia Amoako, Aminatu Ibrahim, Doreen Awuah, Sheila Okine/Anita Wiredu Mintah, Adwoa Bayor, Florence Okoe, Florence Adutwumwaa/Rumanata Tahiru.

Unused subs: Lydia Ankrah, Gladys Quansah, Ama Saabi, Patricia Ofori, Gloria Foriwaa.