The Black Starlets will not be playing at the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after losing 0-1 to their Ivorian counterparts in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship on Tuesday. 

Kassim Mingle’s side had promised to win the game in Burkina Faso in order to book qualification to the continental tournament in Morocco.

However, after 18 minutes of play at the 4th August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Daniel Owusu was sent off, reducing the numerical strength of the two-time world champions.

The Ghanaians, however, held their own against their neighbours until the 77th minute when the Ivorians broke the deadlock kind courtesy Alex Fousseni Bamba.

All efforts to get an equaliser to force the match into extra time proved futile as the Black Starlets missed out on one of the two tickets to the continental tournament.

They will play the winners of the Niger-Burkina Faso game for Bronze.