Ghana’s Black Starlets have been eliminated from the WAFU Zone B U17 Championship following a 1-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-finals, ending their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Alex Fousseni Bamba scored the decisive goal in the 76th minute to send the Young Elephants into the final after Ghana had battled for more than an hour with 10 men.

The Black Starlets suffered a major setback in the 17th minute when Daniel Owusu was shown a red card, forcing head coach Kassim Ocansey to adjust his tactical approach for the remainder of the contest.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Ghana showed resilience and defensive discipline to frustrate their opponents during a tense first half. They continued to compete after the break, creating opportunities to take the lead despite being a player short.

However, Bamba eventually broke Ghana’s resistance with a close-range finish in the 76th minute, leaving the Starlets with little time to find an equaliser.

Ghana pushed forward in the closing stages, with David Kwarteng coming close after receiving a pass from Prince Apam, but his effort narrowly missed the target.

The defeat ended Ghana’s campaign at the semi-final stage and denied them a place at the 2027 U17 AFCON in Morocco.

Ocansey’s side had entered the knockout stage in encouraging form after topping Group A with seven points. They recorded victories over Togo and Benin, alongside a goalless draw against hosts Burkina Faso.

The elimination represents another setback for Ghanaian youth football, as the Black Starlets continue to wait for a return to the FIFA U17 World Cup, having last featured at the global tournament in 2017.

Ghana, two-time world champions at the U17 level in 1991 and 1995, must now turn their attention to rebuilding for the next qualifying cycle.

For Côte d’Ivoire, the victory keeps their title ambitions alive and moves them one step closer to continental qualification.