Ghana's Black Maidens beat Canada 2-0 to book a knockout spot, and coach Joe Nana Adarkwa says the girls made him extremely proud.
Ghana is into the knockout rounds. The Black Maidens beat Canada 2-0 at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup to book a place in the Round of 16, and head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa could hardly hide his delight.
The Ghanaians needed a positive result to stay alive and delivered it. Adarkwa said the win was exactly what the team came for, and the mood in the camp showed it. By his account, the players were beaming and the staff were just as happy. He said the girls had made the coaching team extremely proud.
The road to the last 16 was far from smooth. Ghana opened the tournament with a 0-3 loss to Norway, then bounced back with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Brazil. The victory over Canada lifted them to four points from three games and sealed their progress.
Adarkwa stressed that the result came from the plan the team brought into the match, not from luck. He also praised his technical staff for their part in getting the squad to this stage.
Now the Black Maidens carry that momentum into the knockout stage, where a single result can send a team home or keep a dream alive. After recovering from a heavy opening defeat, this young Ghanaian side has shown it can handle pressure.
