Black Maidens head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa says Ghana need a positive result against Brazil on Wednesday to maintain their hopes of progressing from Group C at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Ghana face Brazil at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, October 21, having started the tournament with a 3-0 defeat by Norway. Their final group match will be against Canada on Saturday.
Adarkwa acknowledged that Ghana failed to perform to the required standard against Norway, particularly in the final third. He said the technical team had analysed the match and used training sessions to address the players’ finishing.
The coach believes the squad can respond against Brazil, saying the mood in camp remains positive and that the players are in an encouraging psychological state.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Adarkwa also said a decision on Ghana’s starting goalkeeper would be made after further discussions with his technical team. He stressed that the Black Maidens had three players capable of taking 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,” he said.
“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.”
On the goalkeeping decision, he added: “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.”
Although he recognised Brazil as a strong opponent, Adarkwa said Ghana would approach the match determined to win. He added that a draw would also leave the team with a route into their final group fixture against Canada.
“Our objective for the Brazil match is simple and non-negotiable: we have to win at all costs. We cannot lose this match,” he said.
“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 reaching the next stage of the tournament.
