Ghana’s Black Maidens have been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Japan in their quarter-final encounter in Morocco.
A second-half strike from Nanami Kurita proved decisive as Japan secured their place in the semi-finals, ending Ghana’s hopes of advancing to the last four.
Both sides approached the contest with plenty at stake, but Japan’s technical quality and composure made life difficult for the Black Maidens, who struggled to find their rhythm in the attacking third.
Ghana worked hard to remain organised defensively, limiting Japan’s opportunities and keeping the contest goalless for much of the first half. However, their resistance was eventually broken in the 54th minute when Kurita found the back of the net to give Japan the lead.
The Black Maidens faced an uphill task following the setback but struggled to unlock Japan’s well-organised defence in search of an equaliser. Despite their efforts, the Ghanaian side could not find a way past their opponents as Japan held on to their slender advantage until the final whistle.
Although Ghana were unable to secure a place in the semi-finals, their defensive performance remained a major positive. Conceding just once, the Black Maidens recorded the fewest goals conceded by any team against Japan at the tournament.
The defeat brings Ghana’s campaign to an end at the quarter-final stage, while Japan advance to the semi-finals and remain firmly in contention for the title.
