Ghana’s Black Starlets have reached the semi-finals of the WAFU B U17 Championship after beating Benin 3-1, but head coach Kassim Ocansey says the team still has two major objectives to fulfil.
The result came with one group-stage fixture still to play and continued Ghana’s unbeaten-looking progress? Can’t say unbeaten; source says positive start, not unbeaten. “continued Ghana’s positive start”. The tournament also serves as the qualifying competition for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Reaching the last four completes the first of three goals identified by Ocansey and his technical team before the competition began. The remaining targets are to qualify for the continental tournament and win the WAFU B U17 Championship.
Ghana will secure a place at the 2027 U-17 AFCON by reaching the final. The Black Starlets must therefore progress through the semi-finals before they can achieve that second objective, with the overall title representing the final ambition.
Ocansey welcomed the progress made against Benin but underlined that the semi-final place was only the first stage of the team’s plan.
“Coming here, we had three targets; to qualify for the semi-final, to qualify for the AFCON by being finalists and to lift the trophy. So far, the first target of making it to the semi-final has been achieved. We have two more to chase and In Sha Allah we will achieve,” he said.
The Black Starlets will next play their final group match, with their place in the knockout phase already secured. That fixture gives Ghana an opportunity to maintain their momentum while preparing for the more decisive matches ahead.
The 3-1 victory has placed Ocansey’s side in a strong position as they pursue qualification for the continental competition and the regional title. However, the coach has made clear that the squad must remain focused, with two of the three targets still outstanding.
Ghana’s immediate task is to reach the final, a result that would guarantee their place at the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. After that, Ocansey wants the players to complete the campaign by lifting the WAFU B U17 Championship trophy.
Progress to the semi-finals is therefore an important milestone rather than the conclusion of Ghana’s campaign. The Black Starlets will aim to carry their group-stage form into the knockout rounds and take another step towards both AFCON qualification and the title.
