Ghana Beat Nigeria as Black Starlets Qualify for AFCON U17 After 8 Years
- The Black Starlets have officially booked their place at the 2026 U17 AFCON in Morocco after defeating rivals Nigeria
- Ghana had missed out on the continental showpiece since 2017, when they finished as runners-up
- The team will now turn their attention to the U17 WAFU B final against the Ivory Coast, with a chance to claim the championship
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Ghana’s under-17 side, the Black Starlets, sealed qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations after edging out Nigeria in a tense semi-final clash at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium on Tuesday, September 30.
The 2-0 victory marked their first return to the continental tournament since 2017.
Source: Twitter
Ghana beats Nigeria at WAFU Zone B U17
The road to this point had been anything but smooth. Coach Prosper Narteh Ogum’s boys started their WAFU Zone B campaign slowly, drawing with Togo before suffering a heavy defeat to hosts Ivory Coast.
They scraped through the group stages by the slimmest of margins, with a 3-1 win against Niger, as cited by Ghanafa.org.
However, once in the knockout stage, their hunger and determination shone through. With the added edge of the Ghana-Nigeria rivalry, the Starlets entered the clash brimming with confidence.
Source: Twitter
The breakthrough came midway through the first half when Michael Awuli unleashed a thunderous drive in the 26th minute to give Ghana the lead.
Moments later, in-form striker Robinho Yao Gavi, who had already scored twice against Niger, pounced on a loose ball and rifled it home to double the advantage, per Footie Centre.
Watch Yao Gavi's striker:
Captain Joseph Narbi nearly put the contest to bed before halftime with a lung-bursting run from his own half, only to fire wide at the decisive moment.
The second half saw Nigeria push hard, but Ghana’s defence stood tall, absorbing pressure and keeping their rivals at bay until the final whistle.
Watch Joseph Narbi's missed opportunity:
Ghana makes AFCON U17 return
Victory not only sends Ghana into the final of the WAFU Zone B U17 Championship against the Ivory Coast but also secures an automatic ticket to next year’s AFCON U17. Additionally, it served as revenge for the Starlets, who lost to Nigeria at the 2024 edition.
It is a welcome return for a nation that has struggled to reach the tournament in recent years.
The Black Starlets were once giants at this level, having won the competition twice, finished as runners-up twice, and secured bronze on two other occasions.
Watch the analysis of Ghana's absence at previous U17 AFCONs:
Yet, a cocktail of issues, including consistent coaching changes, poor talent identification, and alleged interference from higher authorities, has hampered progress since 2017.
Now, with qualification assured, Ghana have a chance at redemption when they meet the Ivory Coast in the final.
It is the perfect stage to avenge their earlier 3-0 group stage defeat to the young Elephants and reassert themselves as a force in African youth football.
Ghana legend admits to age cheating at U17 level
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that former Asante Kotoko star Charles Taylor made a startling revelation about the deep-seated issues in Ghana’s football system.
The 43-year-old disclosed that he cut three years off his age to qualify for the Under-17 team during his playing days.
Source: YEN.com.gh
