The Black Starlets have fallen to former Ghanaian international Laryea Kingston’s Uganda. The loss has crushed their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.
Ghana suffered an 8-7 penalty shootout defeat after a dramatic 2-2 draw in their playoff match at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Starlets started the game brightly and took the lead through Eric Adu Gyamfi, who found the back of the net to break the deadlock and give his side a well-deserved advantage.
The goal boosted the confidence of the Ghanaian team, who controlled large portions of the game and continued pushing forward in search of additional goals.
However, Uganda responded before halftime and leveled the score from a corner kick situation, making it 1-1 heading into the break.
The Black Starlets came out strong in the second half and regained the lead through Abdul Latif Wunzalgu, whose goal seemed set to send Ghana to the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar later this year.
With the Black Starlets appearing in control and just minutes away from qualification, Uganda was awarded a penalty with about five minutes remaining. The East Africans converted from the spot to level the game at 2-2 and force the match into a penalty shootout.
The shootout was dramatic and tense, with both sides converting several kicks. In the end, Uganda edged Ghana 8-7 on penalties to secure their spot at the World Cup.
The painful defeat means the Black Starlets will miss out on the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup, despite an impressive and spirited campaign in Morocco.
