Ghanas Black Starlets have secured qualification for the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship after defeating Benin 3-1 in their second Group A match in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.Issah Alidu scored twice, while Nii Tawiah Odoi added another goal as Ghana recorded their second consecutive victory to maintain a perfect start to the tournament.The Black Starlets opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Togo, with David Kwarteng scoring the only goal of the encounter.Their victory over Benin means Ghana have won both of their opening Group A matches and secured a place in the last four.Assistant coach Hamza Mohammed had expressed confidence ahead of the encounter, acknowledging the quality of the Benin side but insisting Ghana were determined to qualify for the semi-finals.We know they will come hard, but we are focused on securing qualification to the semi-final. Benin have a very good team; we respect them, but we know who we are and what we want, Hamza said before the match.Benin, meanwhile, were looking to secure their first victory of the competition after opening their campaign with a goalless draw against hosts Burkina Faso. However, the defeat leaves their hopes of progressing dependent on the remaining group results.The WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship also serves as a qualifying competition for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.Ghana will now turn their attention to the semi-finals as they look to continue their impressive run and move closer to lifting the title.
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Black Starlets beat Benin to seal WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship semi-final spot
