Belinda Maku Aklie shines with nine saves as Black Maidens beat Argentina to reach U-17 World Cup Quarter-finals

Ghana goalkeeper Belinda Maku Aklie delivered a standout performance against Argentina, making nine saves to help the Black Maidens secure a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The young shot-stopper was instrumental in Ghana’s progress after the two teams played out a 1-1 draw before the Black Maidens triumphed 5-4 on penalties. Aklie made several important interventions throughout the match, including crucial stops in a few one-on-one situations, to deny Argentina and give Ghana a chance to advance.

Even after Argentina found the equaliser in the 86th minute, Aklie remained alert, producing further saves as the match headed towards a penalty shootout. Her contribution proved vital in a tense encounter in which Ghana had to withstand pressure before securing victory.

Her impressive display earned her a 7.8 rating on Flashscore, making her the fourth-highest-rated player across both teams. Teammate Jessica Appiah Asamoah topped the ratings with 9.3 after opening the scoring for Ghana and converting the decisive penalty to complete a memorable performance.

While Jessica’s match-winning contribution deservedly earned widespread recognition, Aklie also won the admiration of supporters, many of whom felt her exceptional goalkeeping display deserved Player of the Match consideration.

Beyond the rating, Aklie’s statistics tell the story of a goalkeeper who stood tall when her team needed her most. She recorded 0.28 goals prevented, successfully claimed two of four high balls and completed 13 accurate passes from 28 attempts.

Her performance against Argentina is another encouraging milestone in her journey with the Black Maidens. As the tournament progresses, Aklie continues to gain valuable experience on the international stage, with her latest display highlighting her shot-stopping ability, composure and growing confidence.

The Black Maidens will now turn their attention to the quarter-finals, hoping to build on their hard-fought victory and continue their World Cup campaign.

For Aklie, the night against Argentina was an opportunity to demonstrate her value between the posts. With nine saves to her name and Ghana through to the last eight, the young goalkeeper has given supporters plenty of reasons to celebrate her contribution to the team’s progress. The challenge will be to build on her impressive performance and remain a reliable presence between the posts as Ghana pursues further success in the tournament.