Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have ended after the Black Starlets suffered a 1-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Kasim Mingle’s side entered the last-four clash at the 4th August Stadium in strong form after an unbeaten run in the group stage.

The Black Starlets finished top of Group A with seven points from three matches, having recorded victories over Togo and Benin before drawing with hosts Burkina Faso.

Ghana opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Togo before securing a convincing 3-1 victory against Benin. They then played out a goalless draw against Burkina Faso to complete the group stage unbeaten.

However, their progress was halted by Ivory Coast in the semi-finals, with an early red card proving costly.

Ghana were reduced to 10 players in the 18th minute after Daniel Owusu was sent off, forcing Mingle’s side to play most of the match with a numerical disadvantage.

Despite the setback, the Black Starlets held their opponents at bay throughout the first half, with the teams going into the break level at 0-0.

Ivory Coast eventually broke the deadlock in the 77th minute, scoring the only goal of the contest to secure their place in the final.

The defeat ends Ghana’s bid to qualify for the 2027 U-17 AFCON, which will be hosted by Morocco.

The Black Starlets had hoped to build on their encouraging group-stage performances, but their semi-final exit means they will miss out on next year’s continental tournament.