Ghana’s Black Starlets are braced to get things up and running in group A of the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B tournament with a crunch tie against the impeccable Ivorian U-17 side on the horizon.
In a year which Ivory Coast started with a statement of intent by winning the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) from the point of oblivion and despair to staging an improbable plot in the tournament, it’s been a fun ride for Ivory Coast, to say the least.
After skipper Max Gradel had received the blessings of the President of the land, Alassane Ouattara, to hoist the country’a third AFCON crown at the 60,000 Alassane Outtara Stadium, things have taken a turn for the good in Ivory Coast.
A series of events, which has been ongoing since the AFCON jubilations, has seen the U-17 youth setup of Ivory Coast flourish immensely.
The team picked up 3 wins out of 4 at the Marné-La-Vallee Youth tournament, beating Argentina 3-2, Saudi Arabia 4-1 and Japan 2-1. The only blemish on a seemingly spotless performance was a 2-2 stalemate against host France.
The results prove the strength and readiness of the team, whereas host nation Ghana also competed at the UEFA U-16 tournament in Russia, winning against Serbia and Khazastan by 5-1 after losing their first game 3–1 to host Russia.
The preparations laid in by the Young Elephants and the Black Starlets have left fans buzzing for the crunch WAFU opener, which takes place at the University of Ghana Stadium on May 15, 2024
–
Story by: Andrews Sefa Bamfo| univers.ug.edu.gh
