Sports
Is this the Starlets team we’ve been waiting for?
• Players and officials of Starlets celebrating their victory after the tournament
After many years in the doldrums, Ghana’s Under-17 team, Black Starlets, on Tuesday, emerged winners of the UEFA Under-16 Development Tournament hosted by Serbia – producing a super-stellar performance that gives a lot of hope for the nation’s football, heading into the future.
The two-time world champions stormed into the competition with a 4-0 whitewashing of hosts Serbia before staging a valiant, doughty-charactered win against Spain with nine boys – after suffering two expulsions in the second stanza.
A brace from Benjamin Tsivanyo and Peter Hammond’s spectacular strike ensured the Starlets recorded a 3-2 victory over the startled Spaniards in a fiery evening of end-to-end football. The game, according to reports, was comparable to a World Cup finale.
Remarkably, the Starlets entertained their Swiss opponents in the final game, edging them 3-2 in another captivating session on Tuesday, to dazzle away with the trophy at stake.
Could this be the Starlets team that Ghanaians have been waiting for?
As we laud the boys for their wonderful piece of football, it is also imperative to congratulate the technical handlers of the team led by Coach Karim Zito for carving out that performance.
Years back, the Starlets brought the nation an extreme transport of delight with their captivating brand of football – endearing themselves even to people who do not really love football. They became a house-hold name.
Indeed, in 1991 (Italy) and 1995 (Ecuador), they conquered the world at the FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament – having also been losing finalists in both 1993 (Japan) and 1997 (Egypt) in the same campaign – aside a third-place finish in New Zealand, 1999.
Also at the continental front, the Starlets have been two-time winners in 1995 and 1999, aside from two runners-up and third-place finishes.
In fact, in those days, the national cadet team was anybody’s sure bet at tournaments – and no one got it wrong because the team was destined to deliver. Then, like a bolt from the blue, everybody took their eyes off the nation’s pride and the team that produced the golden generation of the likes of Daniel Addo, Samuel Osei Kuffuor, Nii Odartey Lamptey, Mohammed Gargo, Emmanuel Duah, Isaac Asare, Joseph Fameye, Awudu Isaka, Christian Sabah and Stephen Appiah, to name but a few, began to stagger and slump into near obscurity.
Indeed, back in 2014, the Starlets were banned from the 2015 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations after being found guilty of age cheating in a qualifier against Cameroon, with the central Africans replacing Ghana at the tournament held in Niger. That was how low the Starlets embarrassingly slumped!
The performance of the team in Serbia, therefore, gives Ghanaians a lot of hope, believing it is a harbinger of bigger and better things to come.
This time around, it is the expectation of many that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and those who matter in the scheme of things, will not switch off their ‘engine’ but work their tails off in a bid to build the Starlets into a ferociously winsome outfit – capable of conquering the sub-region, Africa and the world.
By John Vigah
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission …FA boss charges team to make Ghana proud
The Black Starlets, the national U-17 male team, have safely arrived in Casablanca ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team departed Accra on Wednesday, travelling with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.
They completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.
The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, was present at the Accra International Airport to bid farewell to the team.
Speaking during a brief farewell at the Airport, the FA President urged the team to carry a ‘never say die’ spirit into the competition.
President Simeon-Okraku emphasised the importance of mental strength and unity, particularly in difficult moments during matches. His message was inspired by the team’s recent friendly encounters against Cote d’Ivoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
“I’m very happy that when you lost to Cote d’Ivoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce back—not only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,” he said. “I read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your heads—that, it’s not over until it’s all over,” he added.
The FA president stressed that the ability to respond positively to setbacks would be crucial in a tournament as competitive as the AFCON.
He encouraged the players to stay united and support one another when the pressure intensifies on the continental stage.
“When the chips are down, that’s when we need to hold each other together,” Okraku added. “So go out there and make Ghana proud.”
Ghana will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa, with their opening match scheduled for Thursday, May 14.
Twenty-three (23) players have been called up for this month’s international friendly against Mexico.
The squad is composed of star players from the domestic league and European leagues who are closely monitored by Coach Carlos Queiroz, as well as U-23 players who will soon represent Ghana in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers.
Notable names include Majeed Ashimeru, Felix Afena-Gyan, Razak Simpson, and Birmingham City’s Ibrahim Osman.
Ashimeru returns to action after a long spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury that limited his appearances at both club and national level.
Also in the team is Felix Afena-Gyan, whose last appearance for Ghana was in May last year when he featured against Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup in London.
Barcelona B’s Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-Étienne, Ibrahim Osman of Birmingham City, and Paul Reverson of Ajax FC have also been included in the squad.
Midfielder Salim Adams, one of the key players for Ghana Premier League leaders Medeama SC, leads the group of home-based players.
Others are Heart of Lions’ Ebenezer Abban, Ebenezer Adade of Dreams FC, and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson. Ghana will travel to Mexico for the international friendly on Friday, May 22, 2026.
