Ghana’s U-17 girls made an impressive start to the inaugural WAFU Zone-B U-17 Women’s Cup on Thursday, securing a commanding 4-1 victory over Bénin in the opening match of the tournament, which is being hosted in Ghana.
The Black Maidens were in fine form, taking control of the match early with four goals in a stunning first-half display at the Ghanaman Soccer Center of Excellence.
Priscilla Mensah put Ghana ahead just five minutes into the game, and Christiana Ashieku stole the show with a brilliant hat-trick, scoring in the 17th, 44th, and 45th minutes to complete a dominant first half.
Bénin came out stronger after the break, seizing on a defensive error from Ghana in the 55th minute to pull a goal back. However, it was too little, too late for the West African side as the Black Maidens held firm to secure the victory.
Ashieku’s remarkable performance earned her the “Lady of the Match” award, with her hat-trick marking the first of the tournament.
With Burkina Faso’s withdrawal from the competition, both Ghana and Bénin have now qualified for the semifinals, awaiting the outcome of Group B to determine the next phase of the tournament.
