By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent

Ghana’s Black Maidens advanced to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after edging Argentina 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after regulation time.

Ghana Takes Early Lead Through Asamoah

The Black Maidens exerted pressure from the opening kickoff and capitalized on their early momentum. Jessica Asamoah gave Ghana the lead in the 16th minute, finishing off a sustained spell of dominance from the Black Maidens.

Argentina Strikes Late to Force Penalties

Argentina struggled to find a rhythm for most of the match but kept the deficit to a single goal. Ghana looked set to hold on for victory, but with just three minutes remaining, Argentina found a late equalizer, through Mercedes Diz, to force the tie into a penalty shootout.

Composure Seals Quarter-Final Berth

Despite the late heartbreak in regulation, the Ghanaian side regrouped quickly for the spot kicks. The Black Maidens showed composure from the spot, converting all five of their penalties to seal a 5-4 victory and send the debutants crashing out of the competition.

Ghana turn focus to quarter-final tie

The victory keeps Ghana’s tournament ambitions alive as they move into the final eight. Ghana now advance to the quarter-finals, continuing their impressive campaign at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The victory underscores Ghana’s clinical execution under pressure, particularly during the high-stakes spot kicks. As the tournament progresses into the final eight in Morocco, both teams demonstrated the high technical caliber of youth international football, leaving Ghana well-positioned for their upcoming quarter-final fixtur