Ghana’s Black Maidens endured a disappointing start to the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Norway in their opening Group C match in Morocco on Sunday.
Head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa’s side were dealt an early blow, conceding twice within the opening 13 minutes at the Mohammed VI Football Complex to leave themselves with a mountain to climb.
Norway dominated the early exchanges and capitalised on defensive lapses to establish a comfortable advantage, putting the Black Maidens under pressure from the outset.
Ghana attempted to recover after the break and enjoyed spells of possession, but struggled to break down a disciplined Norwegian defence that remained compact throughout the contest.
The Europeans wrapped up the victory in the 80th minute with a third goal, sealing an emphatic win and taking maximum points from their opening Group C fixture.
The result leaves the Black Maidens with a difficult task in their remaining group matches as they seek to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
Ghana returned to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after missing the previous edition and arrived in Morocco hoping to build on the country's proud history in the competition, which includes a third-place finish in 2012 and three quarter-final appearances.
Attention now shifts to a crucial encounter against Brazil on Wednesday, October 21, at the Women's Football Complex in Rabat, where Adarkwa's side will be aiming to secure their first points of the tournament.
The Black Maidens will then conclude their Group C campaign against Canada on Saturday, October 24, with qualification likely to depend on positive results in their remaining fixtures.
To revive their campaign, Ghana will need to tighten up defensively and become more clinical in attack as they prepare for two must-win matches against Brazil and Canada.
