The Black Starlets will be aiming to secure a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship when they take on Benin in their second Group A fixture in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Coach Kassim Ocansey’s side heads into the encounter with three points following a 1-0 victory over Togo in their opening match, with David Kwarteng scoring the decisive goal to hand the team a winning start to their campaign.
A victory against Benin will guarantee the Black Starlets automatic qualification to the semi-finals, providing an opportunity for the team to advance to the knockout stage with a game to spare.
Benin, however, will be determined to frustrate Ghana’s ambitions after opening their campaign with a goalless draw against hosts Burkina Faso. The Beninese side will be eager to secure their first victory and improve their chances of progressing from the group.
Starlet’s assistant coach, Hamza Mohammed, has stressed the team’s determination to secure qualification, acknowledging Benin’s quality while insisting that the Black Starlets remain focused on their objective.
“We know they will come hard but we are focused on securing qualification to the semi-final. Benin have a very good team, we respect them but we know who we are and what we want,” Hamza said ahead of the encounter.
The Black Starlets will be counting on their confidence from the opening-day victory as they seek another positive result against Benin. The technical team will also be looking for improved finishing after Ghana created several scoring opportunities against Togo but managed to score only once.
With a semi-final place at stake, the encounter promises to be a crucial test for the young Ghanaian side as they continue their quest for success at the WAFU Zone B U17 Championship, which serves as a qualifying competition for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
