WAFU Zone B tournament: Starlets ready to stun Niger

Ghana’s Black Starlets begin their quest for hnours at the West Africa Football Union Zone B competition against host, Niger on Wednesday determined to chart a new path for the national Under-17 side whose pedigree has wane over the years.

Even without four of their key players, Coach Karim Zito still maintains that nothing can stop them from their ambitious target of grabbing the sole slot to the continental showpiece in Tanzania next year.

Once a strong force in the continental competition as two-times champions (1995, 1999), the Black Starlets have in the recent past, struggled to make any meaningful impact, failing to qualify on four occasions (2001, 2003, 2009 and 2011) including 2015 when they were disqualified.

It appears these past performances have put some pressure on this team, as they seek to rewrite the script and Coach Zito is determined to ensure history would be made once again as the first team to qualify for the AFCON with this new Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) format.

Last year, the Black Starlets put up a spirited performance but failed to win the continental diadem, finishing second to Mali in the AFCON competition in Gabon but even with the absence of their key stars, the team is certain they are ready for any task and to represent at the AFCON.

The team can heave a sign of relief and look forward to a good campaign after the 20 players sent to Niger were given the green light from the second MRI test. Before the squad left Ghana, four players had lost four key players -- Godwin Bentil, Emmanuel Dior, Peter Tawiah and Umar Mohammed to the first test a few weeks ago.

“So far so good and morale in camp is very high”, the coach noted and was excited the team was without any injury problems despite the rigorous training sessions they had since arriving at the host country last Thursday.

At the Under-17 level, Ghana have always proved superior over Niger and their 2-0 defeat to the Dama Gazelle during the Under 17 FIFA World Cup in India last year would be the Black Starlets guiding principle to exact defeat once again.

This, Coach Zito said was possible because “no injuries and we have 100 per cent passed the MRI test” and he urged Ghanaians to support them with prayers because the team is prime to do the nation proud.

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