The U17 side – the Black Starlets – drew 2-2 with Division One League side Golden Kicks FC in a friendly at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday.
Two goals in each half, one for each side ensured the game ended in a 2-2 stalemate, the second drawn game for the Starlets since their preparations for the U17 WAFU Zone B Tournament to be played in Accra next month.
Uncharacteristic of the Black Starlets, it took them 27 minutes before breaking the deadlock in a game that was fairly and keenly contested.
The opener came after Mark Kagawa unleashed a teasing cross that was headed home by Golden Kicks’ Akwasi Agyapong for an own goal to break the deadlock in favour of the Black Starlets.
Shortly afterwards, Bless Ege of Golden Kicks was yellow-carded for handling the ball just before the water break. Three minutes later, Emmanuel Okley of Golden Kicks was shown the yellow card for a cynical tackle on Black Starlets playmaker Mark Kagawa.
Golden Kicks restored parity five minutes before the break from the spot through Marvin Owusu when Starlets goalkeeper Michael Armah brought down a Golden Kicks player in the goal area.
Both sides shared the spoils in the first half of the game with the Black Starlets having a fair share of possession.
Theophilus Ayamga shot the Black Starlets ahead with a brilliant strike just a minute after the break after pouncing on a cutting pass from the middle.
Joshua Fuseini of Golden Kicks went into the referee’s book with a yellow card for bringing Kagawa down at the edge of the goal area for a free kick to the Black Starlets. Haruna Baaki of the Black Starlets was received a yellow card moments after coming on, for pulling his marker down.
Just as the game was heading to a close, Samuel Lamptey of Golden Kicks capitalized on a defensive error by the Black Starlets to draw his side level. Benjamin Hanson of the Black Starlets who came on for Benjamin Tsivanyo also suffered a yellow card for a bad tackle on Golden Kicks’ Gerald Okine a few minutes to end regulation time.
The game ended in a 2-2 stalemate, the second drawn game for the Black Starlets since the start of their preparations. Laryea Kingston’s side has now recorded 7 wins and 2 draws in all their preparatory games.
The team will depart Ghana for Russia on Saturday to participate in a UEFA U-16 Invitational Tournament.
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