Ghana's Black Maidens crashed to a 3-0 loss against Norway in Morocco, conceding twice in 13 minutes to open their World Cup campaign.
Ghana's Black Maidens have started their 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup journey on the back foot, falling 3-0 to Norway in their Group C opener in Morocco on Sunday. On African soil, with a continent watching, the West Africans were rocked by a blistering start from the Europeans.
Norway struck twice inside the first 13 minutes at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, and Joe Nana Adarkwa's side spent the rest of the afternoon chasing shadows. The early double blow flipped the script on the Ghanaians and handed Norway control of the tempo.
Ghana did show more intent after the break, pushing forward in search of a way back into the contest. But a well-drilled Norwegian back line held firm, and the Black Maidens could not turn their attacking efforts into goals. Norway then sealed the result in the 80th minute with a third, taking all three points.
Now the pressure is on. Ghana must regroup quickly ahead of their remaining Group C clashes with Brazil and Canada, and anything less than a sharp response could put their knockout hopes in jeopardy. The young Black Maidens have the talent and the continent's support, but they need to start games with far more bite.
