Ghana’s Black Starlets head coach, Prosper Narteh Ogum, says his side is determined to set the record straight when they face hosts Ivory Coast in the final of the WAFU B U-17 Cup of Nations on Friday.
The Starlets suffered their only defeat of the tournament against the Ivorians, a 3-0 loss in the group stage. Since then, however, they bounced back impressively with wins over Niger and Nigeria to secure a place in the final and book a ticket to next year’s U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking ahead of the clash at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro, Ogum said his players are motivated to avenge the earlier setback.
“They defeated us, and it’s the second time to play them, and I think it’s enough motivation for us to come in strongly and make sure what happened in the group stage does not happen again,” he told reporters.
Friday’s showdown will mark the third meeting between the two sides at this level since 2022. Ghana beat Ivory Coast to claim bronze that year before thrashing them 5-1 in their opening match of the 2024 edition.
This time, however, the stakes are higher, silverware and regional bragging rights are on the line, with kickoff set for 19:00 GMT.
