Head coach Charles Sampson has said the Black Princesses are prepared to do everything they can to beat South Africa in the return leg on Saturday, February 14, 2026, despite being held to a 2 to 2 draw at home on Sunday, February 8, 2026, as they fight to keep their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup hopes alive.
Ghana’s chances of reaching the tournament in Poland later this year were dented by the first leg result at the Accra Sports Stadium. With qualification now dependent on the return fixture at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa, Sampson remained confident in his remarks after the match.
Our aim is to qualify, and thankfully, the games are not only one. We have another game, and this is only the first half of it, Sampson stated.
They came here and got, maybe, what they wanted. Now, we have to go there and get what we want to be able to go further. We will do everything we can and make sure we go to Johannesburg and qualify to the next round, he added.
The Black Princesses departed Accra late Tuesday, February 10, 2026, bound for South Africa for the second leg qualifier. Twenty players, along with the technical team, made the trip as Ghana aims to pick up maximum points to progress to the fourth round of the qualifiers.
The situation ahead is straightforward, as the Black Princesses must secure victory in South Africa to move on to the final qualifying round, where they would meet either Zambia or Uganda.
Sampson’s team, which has featured in every U-20 Women’s World Cup since 2010, is now tasked with preserving that record. Although the home draw represented a lost chance, the coach maintained a message focused on determination rather than disappointment.
Ghana made a bright start in the first leg and looked on course for a crucial home victory after goals from Agnes Yeboah in the 33rd minute and Linda Owusu Ansah in the 52nd minute put them 2 to 0 ahead. The Black Princesses controlled large periods of the game and appeared set to take a commanding advantage into the return fixture.
However, the match took a dramatic turn. South Africa gradually grew into the contest and capitalised on Ghana’s loss of momentum, mounting a strong comeback through goals from Khwezi in the 48th minute and Zoe October in the 60th minute to secure a 2 to 2 draw that could prove decisive in the tie.
The result was a major setback for Ghana, which had targeted a clear home advantage following its convincing aggregate win over Tunisia in the previous round.
Ghana thought they had snatched victory late in the match, but Jessica Appiah’s goal was ruled out for offside in the 87th minute.
Speaking after the match, Sampson acknowledged his team’s inability to convert chances despite dominating possession. Our aim was to win this game. Our aim was to get goals. We dominated the game which was also one of our plans, he said.
We created chances, but I think what we lacked was the calmness to convert the chances into goals. We scored the third goal that I think was questionable to disallow because we played the ball to the line and we cut it inside, Sampson added.
Diana Amoako’s long range strike from the centre hit the post, denying Ghana a second goal before halftime.
Ghana is aiming to book their eighth consecutive appearance at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to take place in Poland in September 2026.
The Black Princesses have participated in all seven editions of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 2010, representing Africa consistently at the global stage.
The return leg will determine whether the Black Princesses advance to the final stage of qualification. With the second leg approaching, all eyes will be on Sampson and his players to see if they can turn the tie in their favour and keep Ghana’s hopes of a U-20 Women’s World Cup berth alive.
The winner of the tie between Ghana and South Africa will face either Zambia or Uganda in the final round of African qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026.
