On Saturday, May 20, 2023, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, the first WAFU Zone B U20 Women’s Cup competition got underway.
The competition is open to all WAFU Zone B member associations that confirmed their attendance at the inaugural event in Ghana.
Ghana, together with all six other competing nations, is debuting in the competition, as the Black Princesses were drawn in Group A after the final draw took place at the WAFU-B headquarters in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on April 17, 2023.
After a typical Asante’s traditional opening ceremony, the Black Princesses continued to showcase their form in international friendly games to Kumasi football fans at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Maafia Nyame, a striker for Faith Ladies in the Malta Guinness Women’s Premier League, scored the game’s first goal in the 35th minute, giving Yusif Basigi’s team a 1-0 lead at the half.
Ampem Darkoa Ladies’ Mary Amponsah extended the lead for the Black Princess in the 61st minute of the second half of the game.
The Black Princess sealed their first victory of the competition against their Benin opponents just 7 minutes after their second goal. Basigi’s team scored their third goal thanks to a “stellar” Stella Nyamekye free kick right on the edge of the box.
The Ghana Football Association’s Kurt Okraku, who had come to wish the team well before their match against Benin, reacted as The Black Princess topped Group A after an outstanding performance.
He congratulated them on his official Twitter handle, @kurtokraku, after their win in the first game as a host nation.
The President tweeted, “Congratulations to our Black Princesses for getting off to a great start with a 3-0 win over Benin in the opening match of the WAFU U20 Girls Cup. Ayekoo!”
