Ghana’s U-17 girls made a statement in the inaugural WAFU Zone-B U-17 Women’s Cup with a resounding 4-1 victory over Bénin in the opening match on Thursday at the Ghanaman Soccer Center of Excellence.
The win set the tone for the competition and demonstrated the Black Maidens’ dominance in West African youth football.
The Black Maidens wasted no time in asserting their authority on the match. Priscilla Mensah gave Ghana the lead just five minutes into the game, capitalizing on an early opportunity to put her side ahead. From that moment, the Black Maidens were in complete control, with Christiana Ashieku taking the spotlight. The talented forward scored a stunning hat-trick, with goals in the 17th, 44th, and 45th minutes, giving Ghana a commanding 4-0 lead at halftime.
Although Bénin showed more intent after the break and pulled a goal back in the 55th minute, Ghana’s defense held firm, and the Black Maidens comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to secure all three points. Bénin’s late goal came too little, too late, as Ghana’s dominant performance ensured the win.
Ashieku’s remarkable hat-trick was a standout feature of the game, and her clinical finishing earned her the “Lady of the Match” award. Her three goals were the first hat-trick of the tournament and highlighted her potential as one of the top performers of the competition.
With Burkina Faso’s withdrawal from the competition, both Ghana and Bénin have automatically qualified for the semifinals, where they will await the results from Group B to determine their next opponents.
The Black Maidens’ dominant performance in the opening game has sent a clear message to the other teams in the tournament, as they look to build on their early success and chase down the title in the WAFU Zone-B U-17 Women’s Cup.
