The Black Starlets of Ghana have advanced to the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Cup of Nations after a hard-fought 3-1 win over Niger in Abidjan on Friday afternoon.
The result marked Ghana’s first victory of the tournament, having opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Togo before suffering a 3-0 defeat to hosts Ivory Coast.
Yao Gavi put the Starlets ahead with a fine finish after a flowing team move, but Niger hit back just three minutes later to restore parity.
Both sides battled for control in a tense affair, with resolute defending keeping the score level for much of the contest.
With ten minutes to play, Kagawa produced a moment of brilliance, unleashing a stunning 30-yard strike to hand Prosper Narteh Ogum’s side the lead.
In stoppage time, Gavi sealed the win with his second goal of the match, securing Ghana’s passage into the last four.
The Starlets will learn their semi-final opponents once the final Group B fixtures are completed.
The competition also doubles as the qualification pathway for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
