Black Princesses head coach Charles Sampson insists his side will go all out in the return leg against South Africa despite being held to a 2–2 draw at home, a result that has complicated Ghana’s path to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Ghana’s qualification hopes suffered a setback after the entertaining but frustrating first-leg encounter at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday. With the tie now shifting to Johannesburg, the Princesses must secure a win on foreign soil to keep their World Cup ambitions alive.
Speaking after the match, Sampson remained optimistic, emphasizing that the contest is only halfway done and that his team still has everything to fight for.
“Our aim is to qualify, and thankfully, the games are not only one. We have another game, and this is only the first half of it,” he said.
He added that while South Africa may have achieved part of their objective by earning a draw away from home, Ghana is equally determined to respond in the second leg. “They came here and got, maybe, what they wanted. Now, we have to go there and get what we want to be able to go further. We will do everything we can and make sure we go to Johannesburg and qualify to the next round.”
The equation is now straightforward for the Black Princesses — only victory in South Africa will be enough to send them through to the final qualifying round, where either Zambia or Uganda awaits.
Ghana’s U-20 women’s team has built a proud tradition of consistent World Cup appearances, having qualified for every edition since 2010. That impressive record is now under serious threat, increasing the pressure on Sampson and his squad to deliver away from home.
Although the home draw felt like a missed opportunity, the coach’s tone was one of determination rather than disappointment. The return fixture promises to be a tense, winner-takes-all battle, with Ghana needing composure, discipline, and clinical finishing to turn potential into qualification
