Ghana’s U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign reaches a critical point as the Black Princesses face New Zealand in a must-win final group stage match on Sunday, September 8, 2024, at Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero in Colombia.
Having narrowly lost their opening game to debutants Austria, and a thumping 4-1 defeat to Japan in their second group stage match, the princesses now turn their full focus in their make-or-break match against a familiar opponent, New Zealand.
A win against New Zealand and a huge favour from other match outcomes could be the perfect combination for the Princesses to overcome their earlier setback and create a historic milestone by reaching the knockout stage for the first time in the tournament’s history.
The Black Princesses have yet to advance past the group stage in their six previous appearances at the U20 Women’s World Cup since their debut season in 2010, an unwanted streak they would be aiming to end it.
Some crucial moments have the potential to transform their fortunes and put them back in contention for a qualifying spot.
Although the Black Princesses have had a disappointing start to the tournament with two lacklustre games, their chances of advancing are not entirely extinguished, as they still have a slim possibility of qualifying as one of the best third-place teams.
A result that goes in Ghana’s favour in the South Korea-Germany game
Victory over New Zealand would put the Black Princesses in a promising position, but they would still require a favorable outcome in the Germany-South Korea match to potentially advance to the next round as one of the best third-place teams.”
South Korea finds itself in a precarious position, sitting third in Group D with just one point and fourth among the best third-place teams, making their prospects of progression to the next round increasingly challenging.
A win or draw for Germany in their match would be a welcome result for Ghana, who need to beat New Zealand on Sunday to enhance their chances of progressing to the next round, as it would improve their standing among the best third-place teams.
A favorable result from the Argentina-Costa Rica game
After a sluggish start, losing 6-2 to North Korea, Argentina bounced back with a draw against the Netherlands, climbing to third in Group F and fifth among the top third-place finishers, keeping their hopes alive in the competition.
If Ghana wins their final group stage match and Argentina fails to secure a victory against bottom-placed Costa Rica, the Black Princesses’ prospects of advancing as one of the best third-place teams will significantly improve.
Ghana’s U-20 team, winless streak since 2018, may find inspiration in their final group match against New Zealand, the same team they last defeated in 2018, as they seek to break their drought and revive their World Cup campaign.
With Cameroon already advancing as the continent’s sole representative, Ghana faces a crucial moment: can they break their 14-year group stage barrier and join the next round, or will they extend their winless streak since 2018 and write another disappointing chapter in their history? The answer lies in their upcoming match.
By Rabbi Adu Agyei
