2026 U17 WWC: Japan knock out Black Maidens in quarters
The Black Maidens lost 1-0 to the Asian side in the quarterfinals of the competition on Sunday afternoon.
Ghana suffered a heartbreaking quarterfinal exit from the ongoing U-17 Women's World Cup after a 1-0 loss to Japan. The Asian team's Nanami Kurita scored the decisive goal, ending the Black Maidens' tournament in Rabat. Coach Adarkwa introduced fresh faces Belinda Kpentey and Mavis Koah to the lineup, but Ghana struggled to find their rhythm, managing just one shot on target in the first half.
Japan dominated the early stages, failing to capitalize on their opportunities. However, they turned the game around after halftime, with Kurita brilliantly breaking through Ghana's defense, marking her team's first goal in the match. Despite a late Ghanaian surge, they couldn't regain control, ultimately falling short as Japan advanced to the semifinals while Ghana were eliminated once more.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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