Ghana’s U20 Women’s national team, the Black Princesses, concluded their 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand.
Despite the win, Ghana’s U20 Women’s national team, the Black Princesses, showed remarkable resilience. They were eliminated from the tournament for the seventh consecutive time at the group stage, but their determination was evident throughout.
The match saw Salamatu Abdulai, with her exceptional skills, score the opener in the 59th minute after a slow first half, giving Ghana a glimmer of hope. New Zealand equalized through Manaia Elliot, but Abdulai, with her determination, regained the lead for Ghana in the 72nd minute.
Tracy Twum added a stoppage-time goal to ensure the Black Princesses secured their first and only win in Colombia.
However, Ghana’s victory was insufficient to advance to the knockout stages. Argentina’s earlier win over Costa Rica had already secured the final third-place slot, sealing Ghana’s exit from the tournament.
The Black Princesses’ campaign began with a 2-1 loss to debutants Austria and a heavy 4-1 defeat to 2018 champions Japan. Despite their hopes of breaking their group stage curse, they fell short once again.
The result highlights ongoing concerns about the team’s consistent early exits despite their impressive gold medal performance in women’s football at the 2023 African Games, a testament to their potential and capabilities.
In contrast, fellow African teams Nigeria and Cameroon advanced to the next round, with Nigeria finishing second in their group and Cameroon progressing as one of the best third-placed teams.
Ghana’s U20 Women’s national team, the Black Princesses, will need to regroup and strategize. As they look toward future tournaments, their potential for success is clear. They continue their pursuit of a first-ever knockout stage appearance in the U20 Women’s World Cup, inspiring hope in their fans.
