Ghana head coach Charles Sampson has praised the character and resilience of the Black Princesses after they bounced back from their opening defeat to beat South Korea 3-1 at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The victory revived Ghana’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage after they began their Group C campaign with a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Ecuador.
Sampson was pleased with the response from his players, saying they demonstrated the belief, determination and togetherness required to recover from their difficult start.
“The team really showed up. They showed the character that we know they have in the team; the belief they have for themselves and each other, and today they exhibited it exactly how it should be,” Sampson said after the game.
“They made up their mind that we were going to take this game, and that is what happened.”
After a goalless first half, Ghana finally broke the deadlock early in the second period when captain Sarah Nyarko put the Black Princesses ahead in the 52nd minute with a long-range effort.
Ivy Osei Owusu doubled Ghana’s advantage just three minutes later, putting Sampson’s side firmly in control of the contest.
South Korea attempted to fight their way back into the game, but Ghana remained composed and continued to threaten on the counter before substitute Ruth Amponsah sealed the victory with a third goal in the 84th minute.
The result was particularly important for Ghana, who entered the game under pressure after their heavy defeat to Ecuador. However, Sampson insisted the situation had not affected his players or distracted them from their ultimate objective.
“Pressure is part of it. We don’t let that destabilise us. We came here with an aim, and we know from long that we have these three countries to play,” he added.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted in the first game. We have now got a result that brings us back into the game. So, we are approaching the France game to get the points that are needed to go further.”
The three points moved Ghana onto three points in Group C and set up a crucial final group-stage encounter against France on September 12, 2026.
With qualification still within reach, the Black Princesses must now produce another strong performance against the French side to keep their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign alive.
After recovering from their opening setback, Sampson and his players will know that the France clash represents their biggest test yet — and potentially the decisive match of their tournament.
