Maidens Lose To Germany

Ghana's U17 female national team the Black Maidens yesterday lost their opening game in the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup to European champions Germany http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1914919/index.html .

Ghana dominated the opening stages of the game, with Fatima Al-Hassan forcing goalkeeper Merle Frohms to tip her header round the post after 10 minutes.

However, just three minutes later the Maidens were behind. Great work by captain Sara Daebritz down the left saw her pick out Venus El-Kassam. Her header was saved but Victoria Adyei could do nothing about Vivien Beil's follow-up.

It was two before 20 minutes had been played, with Pauline Bremer taking the ball down on her thigh at the edge of the box before prodding it past Adyei.

With a two-goal cushion Germany solidified and looked more composed, eliminating the spaces Ghana http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1914919/index.html exploited early on. The pace of the game suffered as a result. http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1915244/index.html

Ghana http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1915244/index.html came out fighting after the break, with Jane Ayieyam getting behind the German backline only to see her shot flash wide of the post. Sherifatu Sumalia, who was outstanding throughout, almost scored a stunning goal from 40-yards with a vicious freekick that Frohms palmed over.

Ghana finally broke through though, as Frohms was called into action again diving at the feet of Ayieyam. However Issaka collected the loose ball on the left wing, before a neat turn allowed her to square to Ayieyam who slotted in.  Germany http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1915244/index.html held out though to begin Azerbaijan 2012 with a win. http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1914919/index.html