Ghana’s U-17 side Black Starlets defeated Niger by 6-5 on penalties to progress to this year’s grand finale of the AFCON in Gabon.
The Black Starlets failed to score in stipulated time for the game to travel to penalties which saw the Ghanaians qualify to the finals since 2005.
Striker Emmanuel Toku clinically scored the seventh kick in sudden death to put the Black Starlets through.
Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin’s side had been wasteful throughout the game missing several clear opportunities that came their way.
Skipper Eric Ayiah, Gebrial Leveh, Emmanuel Toku and Abdul Razak Yusif were all culprits as they missed their chances in the game.
Niger goalkeeper Khaled Lawali Ibrahim also denied the Black Starlets from finding the back of the net with some great saves.
Penalty misses from Niger duo Yacine Wa Massamba and Djibrilla Ibrahim Mossi saw the two-time Champions (Ghana) make their fourth appearance at the finals after Emmanuel Toku converted the final kick.
Ghana now awaits the winner between Mali and Guinea for the final clash
Ghana U17 starting XI to face Niger:
Danlad Ibrahim
Rashid Alhassan,
John Out
Abdul Razak Yusif
Faisal Osman
Bismark Terry Owusu
Edmund Arko Mensah
Mohammed Iddriss
Gabriel Leveh
Eric Ayiah
Emmanuel Toku
