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Black Princesses Revive U-20 World Cup Campaign with Commanding 3-1 Victory Over South Korea
•2 min read•7 sources
Ghana’s U-20 women’s national team, the Black Princesses, reignited their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign with a decisive 3-1 victory over South Korea at the Arena Sosnowiec in Poland. After suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Ecuador in their opening Group C fixture, the Princesses displayed remarkable resilience to secure their first three points of the tournament. The win moves Ghana into second place in the group, significantly boosting their prospects of advancing to the knockout stages for the first time in the nation's history.
Following a tense and goalless first half, the game opened up in the 52nd minute when Sarah Nyarko broke the deadlock to give Ghana the lead. The Black Princesses quickly doubled their advantage just three minutes later through a clever chip from Ivy Osei Owusu in the 55th minute. Despite an early setback in the 26th minute, where Esther Asamoah was forced off due to injury and replaced by Latifa Abesik, Ghana maintained control of the match. Ruth Amponsah effectively sealed the victory with a third goal in the 84th minute, while South Korea managed a solitary consolation goal during stoppage time.
Head coach Charles Sampson praised his squad’s character and determination, noting that the team had successfully "shaken off" the emotional weight of their opening-day loss. Reflecting on the initial defeat to Ecuador, which he described as a "weird" game influenced by unusual factors, Sampson emphasized that the players showed the necessary belief and enthusiasm to redeem themselves. The coach had specifically challenged his strikers to show more confidence in the attacking third during training, a directive that clearly bore fruit in the second-half scoring surge against the South Koreans.
The Black Princesses now turn their attention to a high-stakes final group match against France, where a positive result will be required to secure progression. This tournament marks Ghana's eighth appearance at the U-20 Women’s World Cup, but the team has yet to progress beyond the group stage in previous attempts. With the momentum from this victory and a renewed sense of clinical finishing, Sampson’s side is poised to challenge the French and attempt to make history by reaching the tournament's knockout phase.
