Black Starlets focused on World Cup qualification over Uganda - Sheikh Tophic

Sheikh Tophic Abdul-Kadir Sienu says Ghana remain firmly committed to securing qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, despite their exit from the ongoing U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He explained that the technical team quickly redirected the squad's focus to Saturday's decisive clash against Uganda, stressing that the primary objective remains intact. He said, "The ultimate reason why we came here was to qualify for the World Cup. And so if you have not been able to qualify, we still have a chance of qualifying for the World Cup by playing on Saturday against Uganda."

Ghana reignited their campaign with a commanding 3-1 win over South Africa in their final Group D fixture on Wednesday, bouncing back from a difficult start to the tournament. However, their efforts were not enough to secure a quarter-final berth after they were eliminated via a ballot against Algeria, following identical records between the two sides. Sheikh Tophic admitted the outcome was emotionally difficult for the team, particularly after the lift provided by the victory over South Africa. He said, "So immediately the mood changed again because nobody knew what was coming."

Ghana will face Uganda in a play-off match scheduled for 19:00 GMT on Saturday. If Ghana plays against Uganda on Saturday and they beat them, they have to take it to the World Cup.