10-Man Princesses Hold Uganda to Seal Eighth Straight World Cup Spot
Ghana’s Black Princesses showed resilience and character to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland after battling to a 1-1 draw against Uganda despite playing half of the second 45 minutes with 10 players.
The result ensured a 3-2 aggregate victory for Ghana, who had secured a narrow 2-1 advantage in the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium last weekend.
The qualification extends Ghana’s remarkable consistency at youth level, with the Black Princesses now set to feature at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup for the eighth consecutive time.
Head coach Charles Sampson commended his players for their determination and fighting spirit after surviving a tense encounter away from home.
These girls showed tremendous heart and discipline under pressure. Playing with 10 players in such an important match was never going to be easy, but they stayed focused and fought for the badge. I am very proud of the team for qualifying again for the World Cup.”
The Queen Cranes off to a Flying Start
Uganda’s Queen Cranes started brightly in front of their home supporters as they searched for a historic first-ever appearance at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The hosts grabbed the lead just six minutes into the match after a dangerous low delivery into the box resulted in an own goal from Ghana defender Precious Asante.
The goal levelled the aggregate score at 2-2 and briefly handed Uganda the advantage as tension grew within the Ghanaian side.
The Black Princesses struggled to find rhythm in the opening stages but gradually settled and began creating opportunities in search of a crucial equaliser.
The game, however, took another dramatic twist in the second half when Ghana were reduced to 10 players.
Defender Margaret Agyapomaa was shown a straight red card with 22 minutes remaining after clearing the ball before stepping onto the leg of her opponent during the challenge. The South African referee in charge deemed the challenge excessive and immediately dismissed the Ghana defender.
Ghana responded with bravery and continued pushing forward despite being a player down.
Their determination paid off in the 78th minute when captain Linda Owusu produced a moment of magic.
Owusu curled a superb free kick from near the corner area over the Ugandan goalkeeper and into the top corner to hand Ghana the vital equaliser and restore their aggregate advantage.
The goal stunned the home crowd and shifted the pressure back onto the Queen Cranes, who threw numbers forward in the closing minutes in desperate search of another breakthrough.
Despite waves of late pressure, the Black Princesses defended resolutely and held their composure to see out the game and secure another World Cup ticket.
The final whistle sparked celebrations among the Ghanaian players and technical team as they completed another successful qualification campaign under difficult circumstances.