Ghana’s young stars maintain a perfect qualifying record with another commanding display on the road to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Black Maidens are now just two matches away from another FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup appearance after completing a ruthless 8-0 aggregate victory over Liberia and booking a final-round qualifier against Senegal.
A week after dismantling Liberia 6-0 in Accra, Ghana travelled to Monrovia and delivered another polished performance. Two superb free kicks from Seidatu Wahab and Juliana Gyekyewaa secured a 2-0 victory on the day and underlined the growing confidence within Nana Joe Adarkwa’s talented squad.
The result was more than just another win. It was another statement from a team that has swept through the qualifiers with remarkable efficiency.
Having already brushed aside Togo 8-0 on aggregate in the opening round, the Black Maidens have now scored 16 goals and conceded none in four qualifying matches. Few teams on the continent can match that level of dominance.
The contest was not as straightforward as the scoreline might suggest. Liberia showed greater resistance in the opening exchanges and created opportunities of their own during a lively first ten minutes.
However, Ghana’s quality soon began to shine through. Seidatu Wahab broke the deadlock with a brilliantly struck free kick that silenced the home crowd and gave the visitors control of the match.
The goal settled any nerves and allowed Ghana to dictate the tempo. Their movement, discipline and technical quality were once again evident as they protected their lead heading into the interval.
Six minutes after the restart, Juliana Gyekyewaa produced a moment of magic that mirrored her teammate’s earlier effort. Another expertly taken free kick flew into the net and effectively ended Liberia’s hopes of a comeback.
The Black Maidens have built their campaign on more than goals alone. Their defensive record has been equally impressive. Four matches, four clean sheets and not a single goal conceded reflects a side that is well organised and tactically mature.
Coach Nana Joe Adarkwa also showed the growing depth of his squad by rotating several players for the second leg. Latifah Musah, Priscilla Mensah and Linda Achiaa were all handed starting roles and contributed to another professional display.
Now comes the biggest test yet.
Senegal await in the final qualifying round, with the first leg scheduled between July 3 and 5 and the return fixture taking place between July 10 and 12. A place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is the prize.
For Ghana’s young stars, the dream is within touching distance. Their perfect record has earned admiration across the continent, but they know the hardest step is often the last one.
If recent performances are any indication, the Black Maidens will head into that decisive clash believing they have everything required to finish the job.
