Ghana’s Black Princesses rallied to beat Uganda 2-1 at Accra Sports Stadium, taking first-leg advantage ahead of Saturday’s return.
Ghana’s U20 Women’s World Cup campaign has started to swing their way after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Uganda.
In the first leg of the final qualification round, the Black Princesses dug in at Accra Sports Stadium and overturned an early setback to leave with a valuable advantage. Uganda took the lead through Agnes Nabukenya, but Ghana responded strongly after the break.
The deciding moment came when Ghana tightened up in the second half and turned changes into momentum. That shift, more than anything, set the tone for how the match unfolded.
Nabukenya put Uganda ahead in the 32nd minute with a looping strike that found the target past Ghana’s goalkeeper, Belinda Maku. Ghana still had plenty to do after the goal, and Uganda’s resilience made the game feel tighter than the scoreline suggests.
After the break, Ghana looked more purposeful and made several changes designed to refresh the tempo. The impact was immediate, with Priscilla Mensah finding a way through to level the match in the 56th minute after meeting a free kick.
From there, Ghana kept pushing for control, and the advantage of playing with purpose in the closing stages became clearer. It matters for what comes next, because qualification ties are often decided by moments like these rather than one dominant period.
Five minutes from time, Ghana edged ahead for good when Latifah Abesik scored to turn the match in their favour. With the lead secured, the home side held on to claim the first-leg result and shift the pressure onto Uganda for the return.
Meanwhile, both teams now know exactly what the next game will require. The two sides will meet again on Saturday at FUFA Stadium, Kadiba, with the winner on aggregate qualifying for the World Cup.
This first-leg outcome gives Ghana a platform, but it also underlines that Uganda remain dangerous. In a two-match tie, the team that handles the second encounter best will be the one that turns advantage into qualification.