Black Maidens bow out of U-17 World Cup with heads held high
Ghana's Black Maidens are heading home from the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco with their heads held high. Joe Nana Adarkwa's side were knocked out by Japan in the quarter-finals on Sunday, but their run to the last eight was their best showing at the tournament since 2018.
Japan end the run
Japan won the quarter-final 1-0 at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, with Nanami Kurita scoring nine minutes into the second half, according to MyJoyOnline and the Ghanaian Times. Ghana defended well in the first half but struggled to create chances against a disciplined Japanese side that controlled possession.
Adarkwa was without two key players. Captain Seidatu Wahab missed the game through injury, with Osman Rafia taking the armband, and Hajara Adam was suspended after her red card in the previous round, the Ghanaian Times reported.
"I am proud of the ladies, proud of my technical team," Adarkwa told MyJoyOnline afterwards, adding that his players had given everything but that their best had not been enough.
A campaign of resilience
The Maidens' tournament began with a 3-0 defeat to Norway in Rabat. They responded by twice coming from behind to draw 3-3 with Brazil, and then beat Canada 2-0, with Christiana Ashiaku sealing the win with a long-range effort in stoppage time, to finish second in their group.
The round of 16 against Argentina was the highlight. Jessica Appiah put Ghana ahead in the 16th minute from Cynthia Obinsrewuo's pass. Ghana were reduced to ten players when Adam was sent off with 13 minutes left, and Argentina equalised late through a header from Diz. But the Maidens held their nerve in the shootout, scoring all five of their penalties to win 5-4, with Appiah converting the decisive kick, according to Flashscore and CAF.
Back on the world stage
This was Ghana's return to the U-17 Women's World Cup after missing the previous two editions. According to Africa Soccer, the Black Maidens had reached the quarter-finals in four consecutive tournaments between 2012 and 2018, and MyJoyOnline notes they won a bronze medal in 2012.
After a difficult few months for Ghana's youth teams, including the Black Starlets' failure to reach the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, the Maidens' run is a reminder of the talent coming through.
Photo: kyselak / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0