Ghana football endured a miserable day on Saturday with both the national U-17 side and the women’s football teams suffering damaging losses in international competition.

The national U-17 side surrounded a 1-3 lead from the first leg to lose 0-2 in Banjul to Gambia and miss out on a place at the next African U-17 championships in Algeria in 2009 and by extension the world event to be held in Nigeria that same year.

The victory for the Young Scorpions on the away goal rule was sweet revenge for the Gambians who were denied a place at the African U-20 event by Ghana.

The outcome of the latest installment of an emerging rivalry between the two West African countries will also lead to a lot of soul searching in Ghana who used to boss the African U-17 scene with two continental and World titles but have now struggled to qualify for the event.

The Starlets loss capped a disappointing Saturday for Ghana football after the Black Queens had failed to make the semi finals of the African Women’s Championships for the first time in the ten year history of the competition.

The Queens, three times runners up were once again undone by arch rivals Nigeria who found the strength to beat surprise package South Africa by a lone goal and render Ghana’s 3-2 win over Tunisia meaningless.

Ghana finished one point behind Nigeria to register their worst display in the competition.