Ghana's U-17 stars need one win in Ouagadougou to book a WAFU Zone B semi-final place, and assistant coach Hamza Mohammed says they are ready.
Ghana's Black Starlets are one win away from the last four of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship. They face Benin on Tuesday in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in a decisive Group A clash.
Assistant coach Hamza Mohammed spoke to the media on Monday and kept the message simple: respect the opposition, but stay locked in on the goal. He called Benin a very good side and pointed out that they are as young and hungry as his own squad. Even so, his group's target is clear, and he says they will give everything to reach the semi-finals.
Ghana arrive with three points in the bag after a 1-0 win over Togo on Saturday. That result opened the campaign on the right note and put the Starlets in a commanding position in the group. Victory over Benin would seal qualification outright.
Mohammed knows a good start counts for little if the focus slips. He wants another disciplined, composed display against a Benin team that is chasing the same semi-final place. With so much on the line, expect a tight, high-intensity contest between two young sides.
For Ghana, a win would do more than secure a semi-final berth. It would also boost the push for continental qualification and give a new generation of Black Starlets a platform to show what they can do.
