Black Starlets head coach Kassim Ocansey says Ghana have completed the first of their three objectives at the WAFU B U17 Championship after a 3-1 win over Benin secured their place in the semi-finals with one group match still to play.
The victory maintained Ghanas strong start to the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and confirmed their progress to the last four. Reaching the semi-finals means the team remain on course to challenge for a place at the continental tournament.
Ocansey said Ghana travelled to the competition with three specific targets: reaching the semi-finals, qualifying for the U-17 AFCON by reaching the final, and winning the WAFU B U17 Championship.
The coach was pleased that the first of those goals had been achieved, but made clear that the squad still had two objectives to fulfil.
Coming here, we had three targets; to qualify for the semi-final, to qualify for the AFCON by being finalists and to lift the trophy. So far, the first target of making it to the semi-final has been achieved. We have two more to chase and In Sha Allah we will achieve, he said.
Ghana will now prepare for their remaining group-stage fixture, with the team aiming to preserve their momentum after securing a convincing victory over Benin.
With semi-final qualification already confirmed, Ocansey and his technical team can focus on preparing the Black Starlets for the decisive stages of the tournament. A place at the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the WAFU B U17 trophy remain their priorities.
