Mensah Kagawa confident ahead of Ghana-Nigeria semi-final

Black Starlets playmaker Mensah Kagawa says he and his teammates are fully prepared for their WAFU Zone B U17 Boys Championship semi-final clash against Nigeria on Tuesday in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.

Speaking after the team’s final training session, the gifted midfielder stressed the weight of the rivalry, describing Ghana versus Nigeria as a contest that goes far beyond football.

“We know Ghana-Nigeria matches go beyond football,” Kagawa said. “It is a rivalry that carries history, pride, and passion. We are fully aware of what is at stake, and as a team, we are ready to give everything on the pitch to make the nation proud.”

Ghana head into the game on a high after defeating Niger 3-1 in their last group fixture, where Kagawa scored a spectacular long-range goal to cap a commanding display. He believes that victory has restored belief within the squad.

“That win gave us the right momentum,” he noted. “We corrected a lot of our mistakes from the previous games, and now the team is in the right frame of mind. Personally, I feel motivated to deliver again for Ghana.”

The stakes could not be higher: the winner of Tuesday’s clash at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium will not only book a place in the final but also secure automatic qualification to the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco next year.

Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m. GMT, with fans across both nations eagerly anticipating another fierce chapter in the iconic Ghana-Nigeria rivalry.