Jessica Appiah Asamoah's vision and grit earned her Player of the Match as Ghana fought back to hold Brazil at the U-17 Women's World Cup.
Ghana's Black Maidens have found their fight at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, and Jessica Appiah Asamoah is the player leading it. The midfielder was named Player of the Match after Ghana battled to a pulsating 3-3 draw with Brazil.
From the first whistle, Appiah Asamoah was the engine of Ghana's attack. Her energy, vision and creativity kept the Brazilian defence on the back foot, and she mixed dribbles, tackles and smart decisions on the ball to keep the Maidens moving forward. Rafia Osman, Gloria Ameaa and Priscilla Mensah got the goals, but Appiah Asamoah supplied much of the drive behind them.
Her defining moment came with Ghana trailing 3-2 in the 85th minute. She picked up the ball in midfield, got past two Brazilian players, and threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the backline. Mensah was there to tap in the equaliser and rescue a point. It was the second key chance Appiah Asamoah created on the night.
The result matters. Ghana had opened the tournament with a defeat to Norway, and a second straight loss would have put their campaign in serious danger. Instead, the Black Maidens showed resilience against one of the biggest names in the women's game.
Now comes the real test. Ghana face a must-win final Group C match, and with Appiah Asamoah in this kind of form, the Maidens will believe they can finish the job.
