WAFU B U-20 Women: Ghana beat Falconets via penalties to win tournament

Ayomikun Elemikan Sports 04/06/2023

Hosts Ghana beat Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, Falconets on penalties to emerge champions of the maiden WAFU B U-20 women tournament on Saturday, NRTC reports.

The game had ended 1-1 during regulation time and went into penalties where the Ghanaians won 3-1 in Kumasi.

On their way to the final against Ghana, the Falconets had comprehensively beaten all before them. The girls won all their previous four matches, scoring 19 goals without conceding a single goal.

Nigeria’s Falconets lost 3-1 on penalties to hostel nation Ghana in the final of the WAFU B U-20 Women’s Cup in Kumasi on Saturday (Image: @NGSuper_Falcons)

Nigeria had annihilated Niger Republic 7-0 in their first match of the WAFU B tournament. The team went on to whitewash Togo 6-0 in their second game.

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Also, the third group game ended 3-0 in favour of the Falconets who beat Burkina Faso. In the Semi-final, Nigeria recorded an interesting 3-0 victory against Benin Republic to reach the final.

The likes of Esther Onyenezide, Flourish Sabastine, Taiwo Afolabi, Opeyemi Ajakaye and Amina Bello were the standout performers for Nigeria throughout the tournament.

On Saturday, Ghana led against the Falconets in the 39th minute when Stella Nyamekye scored from the penalty spot.

Seeking an equaliser, the Nigerian side laboured for a large part of the match but their opponents proved stubborn. However, with four minutes left on the clock, the Falconets equalised through amazing forward Flourish Sabastine.

After the game ended 1-1 in regulation time, Ghana claimed the regional glory through the penalty shootout, beating the Nigerians 3-1 to win the title.

17-year-old Stella Nyamekye was named the best player in the WAFU B U20 Women’s Cup. She is Ghana’s top scorer in the tournament with four goals. Nyamekye also holds a CAF license D certificate in coaching (Image Credit: Blinkz Image)

The Falconets had a beautiful campaign and were primed to win it with their fantastic performances throughout the tournament. But as it has always been over the years for most of the Nigeria-Ghana clash at any level – women or men, senior or junior – it was always going to be a tough encounter.

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The Nigerian ladies will raise their heads high with great hope for the future. Many of them should form the core of the Super Falcons team for the future.

Meanwhile, the third-placed match played earlier on Saturday saw Burkina Faso defeat Benin Republic 2-1.