Black Starlets head coach Kassim Ocansey Mingle says Ghana have three major targets at the ongoing WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship after guiding his side into the semi-finals with a 3-1 victory over Benin.
The win secured Ghana’s place in the last four of the competition, keeping the team on course to achieve its objectives as they continue their quest for continental glory.
Mingle explained that the technical team had set three targets before the tournament, with qualification for the semi-finals representing the first step towards achieving their broader ambitions.
“We had three targets: to qualify for the semi-finals, to qualify for the AFCON by reaching the final, and to lift the trophy,” he said.
The Black Starlets have now accomplished their first objective and will turn their attention to securing a place in the final, which would guarantee qualification for the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.
Ghana’s 3-1 triumph over Benin provided a significant boost to the team’s campaign, demonstrating their ability to deliver when qualification was at stake.
However, Mingle and his technical team will be aware that the challenges are likely to become more demanding as the competition progresses. The semi-final stage will require concentration, tactical discipline and clinical finishing as Ghana seek to move within reach of their second target.
Qualification for the final remains particularly important because it would secure Ghana’s passage to the continental tournament, while also keeping their hopes of winning the WAFU Zone B title alive.
Beyond securing qualification, the Black Starlets are determined to go all the way and lift the trophy, which remains the ultimate ambition of the technical team.
Ghana will therefore approach the next stage with the confidence gained from their victory over Benin, knowing that another positive result would bring them closer to achieving the targets set before the tournament.
With the semi-final place secured, Mingle’s attention will now be on preparing his young squad for the next challenge as the Black Starlets continue their pursuit of both AFCON qualification and the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship title.
