U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Ghana’s bid for glory starts with Austria today

Ghana's Black Princesses stand on the brink of history as they gear up for their opening match in the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia this evening at the El Techo Stadium in Bogotá where they face tournament debutantes Austria.

For Ghana, today’s Group E encounter match is more than just an opener; they carry the hopes of a nation eager to see them break new ground, rewrite the narrative of their World Cup journey and finally progress beyond the group stages.

Ghana’s path in this tournament is clear-cut: after they clash with Austria, they will take on Japan on Thursday before facing New Zealand in their final group match on Sunday.

Despite this being their seventh consecutive appearance, the Princesses’ best efforts have yet to see them advance past the group stages—a record they are determined to break this year.

Confident tactician

Princesses head coach, Yussif Basigi, a seasoned tactician, is confident that his team is ready to rise to the occasion. Reflecting on the team's preparation, Coach Basigi emphasised, “we are ready for the tournament.

All that we were looking for in the team, we have seen it and it has given us hope that this team will live up to our expectations. The friendly games have given us a fair idea of what to do and we will work on that before our next game.”

The team’s preparation has been rigorous, with friendly matches against Mexico and South Korea sharpening their resolve. Both matches ended in draws—a goalless stalemate against Mexico and a thrilling 2-2 draw with South Korea.

These encounters have provided valuable insights as the team seeks to turn their World Cup dream into reality.

The squad is packed with talent, with key players such as goalkeeper Afi Amenyaku, defenders Comfort Yeboah, Sarah Kulible, Abiba Issah and Hannah Nyame ready to fortify the backline.

In midfield, the likes of Jennifer Owusuaa, Wasiima Mohammed and Stella Nyamekye will orchestrate the play, while forwards Mary Amponsah, Mercy Attobrah and Salamatu Abdulai are expected to spearhead the attack.

Together, these players form the backbone of a team determined to make history.

Austrian challenge

On the other hand, Austria enter the tournament with equal determination.

Despite friendly match losses to Brazil and a goalless draw against Morocco, the Austrians, guided by head coach Markus Hackl, are well-prepared for their World Cup debut.

Their squad, including goalkeepers Mariella El Sherif and Larissa Rusek, defenders Sarah Gutmann and Jovana Cavic and forwards Valentina Maedl and Nicole Ojukwu, will be formidable opponents for Ghana.

The 2024 edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is historic in itself, expanding to 24 nations for the first time, up from 16 in previous tournaments.

With debutants such as Austria, Cameroun, Fiji and Morocco, this year’s competition promises to be more intense than ever.

This year’s tournament, the 11th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, marks a new era with an expanded roster of 24 nations, up from the previous 16.

With Austria, Cameroun, Fiji and Morocco making their debut, the competition promises to be fiercer than ever.