Head coach of the Black Princesses, Charles Sampson, has expressed displeasure with his team’s underwhelming performance in their 3-0 loss to Ecuador.

The Princesses suffered a heavy defeat in their opening game of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, beginning the tournament in dismal fashion.

Speaking to the media after the game, Coach Sampson voiced disappointment in his players for conceding what he described as “cheap goals” that gave Ecuador momentum.

Carlos Queiroz reappointed as Black Stars coach

He also lamented the chances squandered by the Princesses, which cost them dearly, though he noted he was pleased with the players’ character.

“A little bit unexpected, the way we started the game and the way we conceded those two goals. They were a bit cheap, if you ask me. That definitely gave Ecuador more strength and left us imbalanced. But I liked the attitude the girls showed. We were unfortunate, or not clinical enough, in the final third.

"We should have scored some goals to get back into the game. And the longer the game went on at 2-0, without reducing the deficit, we became vulnerable. They went on a counterattack again and punished us. That’s unfortunate, but I liked the character we showed,” he said.

Coach Sampson indicated that the team will train diligently to secure points from the remaining matches and book their place in the knockout stage.

“Now it’s just about accepting it. Today we are a bit down, and that’s normal. Tomorrow we’ll review the game, identify what we can do better, and put our energy into the last two matches. We still have two games, so that gives us a chance to recover and get back into the competition,” he added.

Watch the video below:

🇬🇭 Black Princesses coach Charles Sampson reacts to his side’s 3-0 defeat against Ecuador 🇪🇨 in their opening game of the U20 Women’s World Cup. #SportyFM pic.twitter.com/Noz4sZdHIS

— SportyFM Ghana (@SportyFM_) September 7, 2026