Sports
Satellites must dream big again
A couple of days ago, Ghana’s national youth team – Black Satellites, were drawn into Group C of the 2021 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations to be staged in Mauritania.
Though the focus of many fans may have been stolen away by COVID-19 concerns, the cynosure would still be on the youth team whose string of stunningly sterling performances in the past dazzled all, and won them thousands of disciples across the world.
Guess nobody has yet forgotten about the 2009 historic feat of the Satellites (led by Andre Dede Ayew) who became Africa’s only side to annex the FIFA Under-20 World Cup staged in Egypt?
Ahead of that bravado at the global stage, the brave Ghanaians in the same year had conquered the continent in Rwanda, beating Cameroon in the grand finale to clinch the diadem for the third time since its inception in 1979.
Sadly, since that historic feat, the Satellites have been struggling fatally as they have been swatted aside on a number of occasions in qualifiers to the World Cup.
Indeed, the team’s finest performance on the African stage in recent times was a third-place finish in 2015, six years ago.
In less than three weeks, specifically on February 14 (Valentine Day), the Satellites will begin yet another campaign to hunt for a ticket to the World Cup to be held in Indonesia, later in the year.
It appears that this time, the omen is good – perhaps, so it looks.
In December of last year, the Satellites sprang from behind to upset Burkina Faso 2-1, swaggering away with the WAFU B U-20 Championship trophy at the Stade Charles De Gaulles in Porto Novo in Benin. It was a thrilling piece of news, particularly for the Kurt Okraku Ghana Football Association (GFA) administration.
Dead-ball specialist Percious Boah was the Black Satellites hero, as he set up a goal before firing the winner from a free-kick to hand his country the title in the Benin capital. It was the crucial dazzler that took Ghana to the Mauritania 2021 championship where they would begin their campaign against Tanzania, then take on Morocco before squaring off with The Gambia in their final game.
As the team put their act together in preparation for the Mauritanian challenge, we can only wish them the best of luck, but urge the handlers to select a solidly winsome side capable of bringing honour to the nation.
We need players who aside from their skill and dexterity, would be prepared to die on the pitch for the result – rather than give up when they go down. We need a squad that is patriotic and willing to drive beyond the normal distance.
We need a doughty-charactered bunch of players who would see the Holy Grail and dash for it with all the strength and might they can muster. We need a team that is famished for glory and would not be swayed by anything aside a resolution to fetch gold.
The players that carved the historic feat of 2009 are not super humans. They are not out-of-this-world. They were simply fearless characters who dared to dream and pursued their ambition – ambition to carry Ghana aloft and make her the first African country to win the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. And, it was done – and accomplished in style as no other team but Brazil were beaten in the final for the Golden Fleece.
All eyes on you, Satellites. Make the nation proud again!
PlainTalk with JOHN VIGAH
Officials from the Ghana mission in the United Arab Emirates have paid a morale-boosting visit to the camp of the Black Queens.
The delegation, made up of Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto, Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai and Head of Transport Anas Shaibu, visited the team to assure them of the government’s support and commitment to their safety and welfare.
During the visit, the officials interacted with the team and offered words of encouragement, urging the team to remain focused on the tournament despite concerns surrounding unrest in parts of the UAE.
Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto emphasised that the Ghanaian government, through its diplomatic mission, is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to ensuring the team’s safety throughout their stay.
“We want the team to stay calm and focus on the competition. The government and the embassy are doing everything possible to ensure your safety and well-being.” he said.
Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai also reiterated the mission’s readiness to provide any assistance required by the team during the tournament.
Leadership of the team expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and motivating.
With the backing of Ghana’s diplomatic officials in the UAE, the Black Queens remain determined to represent the country proudly and deliver strong performances in the Pink Ladies Cup.
The Black Queens have arrived in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the upcoming Pink Ladies Cup in Dubai. The team touched down at the Dubai International Airport via Emirates Air on Wednesday morning and were warmly received by the competition’s organising officials.
The squad will be based at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, where they will begin their final preparations for the tournament. Organised as part of the international women’s football calendar, the Pink Ladies Cup is expected to feature four national sides using the competition to assess their squads and fine-tune strategies for upcoming tournaments.
Ghana will open their campaign today with a clash against Hong Kong, while Russia and Tanzania face off in the other opening match.
The Black Queens are then scheduled to return to action on March 3, when they take on Russia in a match expected to test them against a physically strong opponent.
The final round of games will be played on March 6, with Ghana closing their campaign against Tanzania at 9:00 pm.
With three matches in eight days, the tournament promises to be a crucial phase in Ghana’s preparation, as the Black Queens aim to return to continental action sharper, stronger, and more competitive.
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