Having lost their opening game at the hands of holders Japan, The Black Maidens face a daunting task of reviving their flagging hopes of progressing to the next round of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Jordan. 

The team were subjected to a nightmarish start to the tournament as Japan pummeled them 5-0. The result was a fair one as Japan were too much for Ghana to handle from start to finish.

All is not lost yet but it’s very appropriate to be cautiously optimistic ahead of their final two games against USA and Paraguay.

First, Ghana comes up against United States of America in their second group D match at King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman, with only a win needed to stake a claim for a knockout berth. The match will be played on Tuesday at 1pm.

The meeting between the West Africans and North Americans will be the first in this competition.

Black Maidens have exited the competition twice in the group stage - 2008 and 2010 but qualified from the group stage on two occasions – 2012 and 2014.  Plus is the only African nation to have reached the semi-finals in the tournament's history.  

"Nothing is decided yet. Yes, we suffered a bad defeat. But I can promise you: we will come back. And we will come back stronger. We will win against USA." Evans Adotey.

Confident Adotey could set up to his to defend and frustrate the Americans and hope to create chances on the counter-attack and from set-pieces.

Expected title contenders United States will be brimming with confidence after demolishing Paraguay 6-1 in first game and can book their spots in the knockout stage with second successive win over Ghana.

USA made their maiden appearance in the competition in 2008 but failed to qualify in 2010. They returned in 2012 and surprisingly missed out again in last edition before qualifying to this year’s competition.

Their best ever performance is finishing second in the 2008 tournament.

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