The female U-17 team, the Black Maidens ensured Ghana inched further closer to a place at the inaugural FIFA U-17 World Cup after a thumping win over DR Congo in the first leg of the final qualifier in Accra on Monday.

Despite the Black Maidens ending the game with nine players after Elizabeth Cudjoe and Ellen Coleman picked up two red cards, Ghana drilled eight goals past DR Congo, who had Mengi Nona sent off.

The game originally scheduled to have been played on Saturday was postponed due to the late arrival of DR Congo for the match.

The 8-0 result sets up a grandstand finish in a fortnight as the concluding fixtures on the continent would be played for the three available places at the World Cup with Ghana, just a game away from landing one of the spots.

Black Maidens striker Florence Dadson got her name on the score cards, six times as Ghana enhanced its chances of reaching the finals of the World Cup to be hosted by New Zealand.

Deborah Afriyie and Mercy Myles struck the other two goals for Ghana to head into the second leg match fixed for May 16-18 with a great advantage.

The high scoring result pleased Ghana coach, Abraham Allotey but it somehow felt short of his evaluation.

“We trained for it and deserved to have even finished the game with 13 goals,” the Ghana coach exclaimed in a post match interview.

“We squandered some chances that could have displayed a different scoreline. But it is a good first leg and I don’t see them (DR Congo) respond in the second leg. I believe we can win the game in Congo too.”

Africa has three places at the World Cup to be hosted by New Zealand from October 30 to November 16, 2008.