The Black Maidens have secured a place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after a deserved 2-0 victory over Canada in their final Group B match in Morocco.
Ghana secured the crucial win to leapfrog their North American opponents and advance to the knockout stage, while Canada must wait to learn whether they will progress as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Joe Nana Adarkwa’s side created the best chance of the first half when an inspired Jessica Appiah drove through the Canadian half before unleashing a powerful effort that goalkeeper Megan Lemieux brilliantly tipped onto the post.
The breakthrough came after a double substitution by Coach Adarkwa. A looping pass from Hajara Adam dropped into the Canadian penalty area and came back off the post, with the rebound falling to Priscilla Mensah. She then picked out fellow substitute Linda Achiaa, who calmly steered the ball home with her first touch just 35 seconds after coming on to give Ghana a priceless lead.
The Maidens sealed the victory in stoppage time when super-sub Christiana Ashiaku fired home from distance, sparking celebrations among the Ghanaian players and technical team.
Ghana will now turn their attention to the Round of 16 after finishing the group stage with four points from three matches. The Maidens began their campaign with a 0-3 defeat to Norway before battling to an entertaining 3-3 draw with Brazil, ultimately securing qualification with their impressive victory over Canada.
