Starlets through to next stage
(By Veronica Commey, GNA Special Correspondent in Lome, Togo
Courtesy Ministry of Education, Science and Sports)
Lome, March 15, GNA – Ghana’s Black Starlets 6-0 drubbing of
Eritrea on Wednesday booked the team a place at the next
World U-17 Championship slated for South Korea later in the
year.
The Starlets became the second country to make it to the
second round of the ongoing African U-16 Championship in
Togo.
Nigeria became the first to book one of Africa’s four slots
for the world fiesta after pipping Burkina Faso 2-1.
The Starlets who needed a win in the game scored twice in
the first half before wrapping up the game in the second
session.
Ransford Osei gave his quest for the Golden Boot award a
fine boast when he shot the team ahead in the second minute
with a rebound.
The Eritrean goalkeeper Zaratsion Yosief spilt a well taken
free kick by Abeiku Quansah onto the path of Osei who
required no effort to set the tone for the day.
As if stimulated by the goal, the Starlets pieced their
rhythm together, knocked the ball around with ease and laced
their passes with that craftiness
capable of turning foes into friends.
Just when the fans were enjoying the trendy play, Quansah
had other plans.
The player who was later substituted by Kelvin Owusu-Bossman
was second time lucky with his free kick that curved well
over the Eritrean wall to zoom straight into the net to
consolidate the team’s lead.
The Eritreans managed to settle well and thrilled the
spectators with their occasional flashes of brilliance that
unfortunately failed to take them
no where.
The Starlets who appeared satisfied with the lead however
returned from the recess in an aggressive mood.
Their aggression paid off less than a minute in the half
when creative genius, Ishmael Yartey rammed home his third
for the tournament and the
team’s third on the day.
The player profited from a fine set up from composed Enoch
Adu from the middle.
Yartey, a leading contender for the Golden Boot award made a
captivating solo run that shredded aside two defenders
before delivering a smooth shot right in the middle of the
net to displace goalkeeper Zeratsion who moments later made
way for Kiflay Robel.
As if angered by the goal, Eritrea reacted with a counter
that picked out slippery Goitom Yonatan whose’ incisive
header brought the best out of the Ghanaian keeper Abraham
Hoenyadzi, who throughout the proceedings had tasted very
little action.
Coach Osam Duodo introduced Opare Tawiah and Adams Sadick
into the game for Gwala Pero and weary Nathaniel Asamoah.
Sadick whose strength appeared too much for the feeble and
sick looking Eritreans overwhelmed all with a hat-trick that
put him among the fore runners for the Golden Boot award.
LINE-UP
Hoenyadzi Abraham, Stephen Owusu-Ansah, Paul Addo, Benjamin
Owusu, Abeiku Quansah/ Kelvin Owusu-Bossman, Enoch Adu,
Ransford Osei, Ishmael Yartey, Gwala Pero/ Opare Tawiah,
Nathaniel Asamoah/Sadick Adams and Opoku Eric.
GNA
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