Black Starlets head coach Kassim Ocansey Mingle says Ghana’s next priority is to secure qualification for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after achieving their initial target at the WAFU B U-17 Championship.
Ghana booked a place in the semi-finals with a 3-1 victory over Benin, achieving the first of three objectives the technical team set before the start of the competition, despite having one group-stage match remaining.
Mingle explained that the team entered the tournament determined to reach the semi-finals, qualify for the continental competition by advancing to the final, and ultimately win the WAFU B title.
“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 coach expressed satisfaction with his players’ performance against Benin but acknowledged that Ghana could have scored more than the three goals they managed during the encounter.
According to Mingle, the technical team had placed considerable emphasis on improving the players’ finishing during training, making the three-goal return a positive outcome, although he believes there is still room for improvement.
“We could have scored more than three, but Alhamdulillah, we are okay. We worked on goalscoring at training and we have scored three today, so we are okay. If your team creates chances and they end up scoring three, it’s okay, but there is more room for improvement,” he added.
With their semi-final place secured, the Black Starlets will now focus on progressing to the final, a result that would guarantee Ghana qualification for the 2027 U-17 AFCON.
The team will then look to achieve its ultimate ambition of winning the WAFU B U-17 Championship as the young Ghanaian side continues its quest for continental success.
