GhanaFA

Six-star Starlets hit the skies

17 years ago
Advertisement

Six strikes in the second group game at the African U-17 Championship secure Ghana a semi-finals place and a World Cup berth.

Though Ghana coach, Fred Osam Duodu was not keen on any high scoring results, the Black Starlets after 90 minutes of play had shot six stars into the skies that shone brightly in the evening kick off at the Kegue stadium with their 6-0 thrashing of Eritrea.

After 12 minutes of play, Ghana had taken a comfortable 2-0 lead through set-pieces converted by Ransford Osei and Abeiku Quansah before Ishmael Yartey got the third some 90 seconds into the start of the second half while substitute Sadick Adams hit a hat-trick to seal victory.

Ransford Osei set the tone for qualification at the Kegue stadium when he scored in the 2nd minute into the start of the game rifling the ball into the top corner of post after the Eritrean goalkeeper had spilled the first time effort.

Eight minutes later, Abeiku Quansah stepped up to curl a ball from another freekick into the upright of the post to make 2-0 for Ghana.

The Black Starlets after the goal struggled to hold onto their early minute dominance as the Eritreans occasionally made inroads into the Ghanaian defence.

However, Ghana held onto their lead and warded off attacks to end the half 2-0.

Back from recess, Ishmael Yartey struck the third from a powerful shot past the Eritrean goalkeeper.

At three-nil up, second half substitution, Sadick Adams scored Ghana’s last three goals of the match scoring the fourth, fifth and sixth goals to crown a vintage win.

Ghana with a game to end the group stage of the competition have thus booked a place in the semi finals of the 7th edition of the bi-annual showpiece for players below the age, 18 and also secured qualification for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in South Korea this summer.

The Black Starlets first beat Burkina Faso 3-1 on Sunday and Ghana, two-time African and World Champions would take on Nigeria who have also booked a place in the semi-finals in the third group match on Saturday in Kegue.

Nigeria recorded their second win after beating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the first Group B game.

Ahead of the final group game, Ghana are placed second with six points, the same as leaders Nigeria who lead by just a goal's difference.

Burkina Faso are third followed by Eritrea as both sides clash in the last group game.