Black Maidens head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa says Ghana must secure a positive result against Brazil to keep their qualification hopes alive at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Ghana will face Brazil in their second Group C match at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, October 21, following a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Norway in their opening fixture.
Adarkwa admitted his team fell short against Norway, particularly in front of goal, but said the technical team had reviewed the performance and worked on improving the players’ finishing during training.
He expressed confidence that the players would apply the lessons learned when they take on Brazil, describing the atmosphere in camp as positive and the team’s psychological state as encouraging.
"As we turn the page and look ahead to our crucial match against Brazil, I want to be direct about where we stand. We played our best against Norway, but our best was not enough. That is football - sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. We have no excuses. We lost, and we accept it. Now, our entire focus is on the next game," he said.
The coach also confirmed that a final decision on the starting goalkeeper would be made after consultations with his technical team, stressing that Ghana had three capable options for the position.
"Our match against Norway exposed a critical area we must address: our finishing. We couldn't shoot, and quite frankly, I don't know why the players hesitated. In a game situation, you cannot expect players to walk the ball to the post. No coach will accept that. We have watched the match, we have analyzed it, and we have already worked on our shooting in training."
"As of now, we have a few hours to make a final decision on our goalkeeper. I will sit with my technical team, and we will decide who will keep. But I want to be clear: we have no problem in that department. We have three capable goalkeepers, and any one of them can step up and do the job."
Despite acknowledging Brazil’s strength, Adarkwa insisted that the Black Maidens were determined to win, although a draw would also be useful ahead of their final group match against Canada on Saturday.
"Our objective for the Brazil match is simple and non-negotiable: we have to win at all costs. We cannot lose this match. A win or a draw will be okay, so that we can tackle the last match with a clear path forward. But make no mistake, we are going for the win. We know this will be a tough match. Brazil is a formidable opponent, but we will deliver. The girls are ready."
Ghana need a strong result against Brazil to strengthen their chances of progressing to the next stage of the tournament.
