By Nadia Ntiamoah
Ghana’s Black Princesses return to action on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, when they face South Korea in their second Group C fixture at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
The match comes at a critical moment for Charles Sampson’s side after Ghana suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Ecuador in their opening game.
The result has left the Black Princesses under pressure to respond immediately if they are to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Ghana will face South Korea at Arena Sosnowiec in Sosnowiec, with kick-off scheduled for 1:00 p.m. GMT (4:00 p.m. local time).
The Black Princesses entered the tournament determined to make history after qualifying for the competition for a record eighth consecutive time.
However, their long-standing failure to progress beyond the group stage has once again become a major challenge following the heavy opening defeat.
Sampson’s team now needs a significantly improved performance against South Korea, particularly in defence and attack, after failing to find the back of the net against Ecuador. With France also in the group, Ghana cannot afford another setback if they are to remain in contention for a place in the next round.
The players will therefore be expected to approach the South Korea encounter with greater urgency and determination.
Ghana made a difficult start to their Group C campaign at the Arena Sosnowiec on Sunday, conceding twice in the opening 17 minutes before Ecuador added a third goal in the second half.
Sampson was particularly disappointed with the manner in which Ghana conceded the first two goals, saying the early setback disrupted his team’s balance and gave Ecuador control of the match.
“The way we conceded the opening two goals was cheap. It created an imbalance and allowed Ecuador to have the upper hand.”
Ecuador took the lead through Rosa Flores, who produced a spectacular long-range effort, before Domenica Arboleda doubled their advantage in the 17th minute. Arboleda later completed her brace to make it 3-0 and seal victory for Ecuador.
Ghana had opportunities to get back into the contest, with Agnes Yeboah coming close early on, but the Black Princesses struggled to turn their chances into goals.
Sampson, however, praised the attitude shown by his players after going two goals down and believes a lack of clinical finishing ultimately cost them.
The defeat leaves Ghana without a point after the opening round of Group C, while South Korea and France drew 1-1 in the other group fixture.
