By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
. . .Ghana Upsets South Korea 3-1.
THREE TIMES world U20 Women’s football champions the Yankee Babes of America on Wednesday stamped supremacy on the High-Tech Japanese women using computerised system to win them 2-1 in a group D game of the 2026 world U20 Women’s Football Cup played in Poland.
A set piece from the corner flag taken by Kennedy Fuller found Ainsley McCammon who scored the opener in the 35th minute but Japan caused distraction with a double change and just a minute after exactly 74th minute Japan equalized through Natsumi Tago only for Alex Buck whose photo is on the cover of this story to poke in the winner in the 75th minute from Miyu Matsunaga assist.
USA that won the title in 2002, 2008 and 2012 had been to all 12 tournaments while Japan with 8 appearances won in 2018. They both met seven times with Japan winning 6 games scoring 11 of the 15 goals scored but they met at FIFA U20 world cup thrice. Fighting for the Bronze on 3rd December 2016 Japan won by a lone goal; Japan also won a group C Match of 6th August 2018 also by a lone goal and again Japan win a group D game of 18th August 2022 by 3-1.
Earlier Italy had beaten New Zealand 3-0 in the group game with Rosanna Ventruaya scoring 1st goal for Italy collecting an assist from Karen Appiah to get her brace in the 83rd minute and Appiah topped it up with the 3rd goal in the 89th minute from Lily Brazendale connect.
Italy tops group D with 6 points, USA climbed to 2nd position with 3 points, Japan is 3rd with 3 points too while debutante New Zealand stands at the exit door with no point.
In Group C Black Princesses of Ghana upset South Korea 3-1. Nyarko Sarah scored first for Ghana in the 52nd minute from Agnes Yeboah assist, Ivy Osei made it 2-0 from a lone strike in the 55th minute and Ruth Ampansah got a pass from Angel Akanyirego to score the 3rd goal in the 84th minute but Beon Ye-Joo scored for South Korea in the 90+5 minute when the Ghanaians were waiting for the final whistle.
Ecuador tops Group C with 4 points after playing 1-1 draw with France, Ghana is 2nd with 3 points, France has 2 points and South Korea has1 point.
Tomorrow Thursday, North Korea will meet Costa Rica at 2.00pm in group E and at the same time Spain will face New Caledonia in group F.
At 5.00pm it will be Columbia versus Portugal while at the same time Nigeria will play against China.
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