Ghana’s Black Maidens secured top spot in Group A after beating New Zealand 2-0 in their final Group A match at the Estadio Charrua in Montevideo, Uruguay on Tuesday.
A dull first half was triggered into exciting action in the second as the two sides battled for top place and a 100 per cent record.
It was captain Mukarama Adbulai who made it count for the Africans, however, as she controlled the ball with what looked like her hand in the 60th minute to slot in her fifth of the tournament.
But she scored her second in the game after controlling the ball in midfield with her right foot and hit past goalkeeper Anna Leat in the 89th minute.
The score stayed the same, sending Ghana to the top with a perfect start to the tournament.
Coach Evans Adotey, in his post-match interview, said this is what he aimed at – to get nine points from his first three games at the tournament.
Grace Animah was, however, named Player of the Match ahead of two-goal heroine Mukarama, who extends her goal tally to six as she hunts for the Golden Ball.
Ghana, as a result of the win, set up a quarter-final clash with Mexico, who drew with favourites Japan in their final Group B game.
That quarter-final match will be played on Sunday at the same venue the Maidens have played so far in the tourney.
New Zealand will face Japan.
Meanwhile, Uruguay and Finland played a 1-1 draw in the other final Group A game.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana
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