U-17 WWC: Black Maidens will intensify approach against Argentina – Joe Nana Adarkwa

Ghana coach Joe Nana Adarkwa says the Black Maidens will adopt a more aggressive approach when they face Argentina in the Round of 16 of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The Black Maidens take on the South American side on Wednesday, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

Ghana recovered from a 3-0 defeat by Norway in their opening Group C match to draw 3-3 with Brazil before beating Canada 2-0 in their final game to progress as group winners.

Argentina, meanwhile, topped their group without losing a match, setting up a challenging encounter for the Ghanaian side.

Ahead of the tie, Adarkwa told FIFA Media that his team would build on the approach they adopted against Brazil while raising their intensity against Argentina.

“I can see that Argentinians play like Brazilians,” he said.

“We are going to intensify the approach we took against Brazil and push harder. South American teams play like Ghanaians; we always get the ball down and play.”

Adarkwa acknowledged the importance of maintaining concentration in the knockout stage, where a single mistake could end a team’s tournament.

“Because this is the knockout phase, when they score, you have to pack everything and go back home,” he said.

“So we are going to approach this match in a different way, with a different mentality, everything. We are going to push, push, push until the end of the game,” he added.

The match is scheduled for 15:00 GMT at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, as Ghana seek to secure a place in the quarter-finals.