Ghana's national under-17 team, the Black Starlets, defeated Benin 2-0 to reach the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B U17 Championship at the University of Ghana Stadium.

Ghana played as the away side, donning the red jersey, while Benin played in their white home jersey. The Beninois needed a win to make it out of the group stages after losing 1-0 to Ivory Coast.

In the game played on Tuesday, May 21, the Black Starlets asserted their dominance over the game and earned a few chances. Mark Mensah squandered a free-kick opportunity early in the game, and Joseph Narbi also missed a good chance in the opening minutes.

The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute when Mark Mensah registered Ghana's first goal.

Joseph Narbi started the process from the flanks when he broke away from two opponents to lay off the pass to Mark Mensah, who lofted the ball over the Benin goalkeeper to score the opener.

Moments after returning to the centre, Benin lost possession of the ball once again, and this time, they got punished as Theophilus Ayamga doubled the lead for the Black Starlets.

It was Mark Mensah who sent a through pass to Theophilus Ayamga to finish it off with a powerful strike just outside the box in the 22nd minute.

The Black Starlets found themselves in a position where they had to manage the game, facing a few challenges as Benin launched several attacks. Despite Benin's efforts, they were unable to convert their opportunities into goals.

Ghana's goalkeeper Michael Armah was called to duty on a couple of occasions, and he rescued his team with a clean sheet in the game.

Laryea Kingston's team secured their spot out of Group A with a stellar performance, finishing at the top of the table with 6 points from 2 matches.



Their impressive goal tally of 7, coupled with conceding just 1 goal, highlighted their strong performance throughout the group stage.

The Black Starlets will have to wait to see which team they will face next in the semifinals of the tournament.

The Black Starlets are hoping to reach the finals to book an automatic qualification to the U17 AFCON for the first time since 2017.

JNA/BB