Ghana’s Black Maidens emerged victorious in a thrilling penalty shootout against Nigeria’s Flamingos to win the inaugural WAFU U17 Girls’ Cup on Sunday at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.
The dramatic encounter ended 5-4 on penalties after both teams played out a pulsating 2-2 draw in regulation time.
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The Flamingos, who came into the final with an impressive record of 14 goals scored and only two conceded, found themselves in early trouble as the Black Maidens raced to a 2-0 lead.
However, goals from Precious Oscar and Harmony Chidi reignited Nigeria’s hopes, forcing the game into penalties.
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Gertrude Amoafo put the hosts in front in the 14th minute, and then the irrepressible Priscilla Mensah doubled the advantage five minutes later.
It appeared the Maidens would coast to an easy victory, but the Nigerian girls had other ideas.
Precious Oscar halved the deficit in the 34th minute, with a powerful volley right inside the Ghanaian vital area, and Harmony Chidi restored parity in the 78th minute with a long-range strike that flew above goalkeeper Aishatu Fatai.
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Despite the spirited comeback, the Flamingos were unable to outlast the Black Maidens in the shootout, as the hosts held their nerve to secure a historic victory.
How they got there
The Flamingos earned their spot in the final after a 2-0 semi-final win over Benin Republic. Mary Lucky Mkpa opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 70th minute, followed by a goal from Peace Effiong, who capitalised on a goalkeeping error to seal the win.
The Nigerian team’s dominance throughout the tournament had made them favourites going into the final.
On the other hand, Ghana had been equally formidable, cruising past Côte d’Ivoire with a commanding 5-0 victory in their semi-final.
Their solid defensive performance and clinical attack set the stage for a tantalising showdown with their archrivals, Nigeria.
Decisive shootout
In the shootout, both teams displayed nerves of steel, but it was the Black Maidens who prevailed, converting five of their penalties to Nigeria’s four.
Defender Taiwo Adegoke handed the advantage to the hosts in the shootout, when she struck the woodwork from six yards,
The victory marked a historic moment for Ghana as they lifted the maiden WAFU U17 Girls’ Cup on home soil.
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Unending rivalry
The match added another chapter to the storied rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana, who battled to a barren draw on the same day in Accra in the first leg of the African Nations Championship qualifying fixture.
While there is a second chance for the Super Eagles B team to claim a badly needed victory over their Ghanaian counterparts, the Flamingos will only take solace in their second-place finish behind the Black Maidens.
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