U20 WWC: France beat Ghana 4-1 in Group A

France beat the Black Princesses of Ghana 4-1 in their first Group A game of the FIFA Women’s U20 World Cup.

With New Zealand losing to the Netherlands early on, both teams needed the three maximum points to blow the group open.

France opened the scoring as early as the sixth minute through Emelyne Laurent. She ran on to the end of a brilliant cross from Selma Bacha and fired in a shot that ricocheted off the crossbar and post before bouncing over the goal line.

France from that point started to dominate the game and added a second when captain Marie-Antoinette Katoto pulled back an inviting cross for Helene Fercocq to calmly guide a shot with the inside of her foot into the far corner.

Laurent added a second on the evening in the 31st minute, with a lobbed effort that also kissed the crossbar before making it 3-0 for the hosts.

he Black Princesses of Ghana upped their game a bit in the second half and scored in the 58th minute of the game when Grace Asantewaa played in Sandra Owusu-Ansah, who then rounded goalkeeper Mylene Chavas before finishing her chance to make it 3-1.

However, France substitute Sandy Baltimore put the icing on the cake in the very last minute of second-half stoppage time when she tapped in from close range after Katoto’s free-kick was initially saved by Ghana goalkeeper Martha Annan.