Starlets Captain Apologises to Ghanaians, Targets Bronze

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Black Starlets captain, Issah Abdul Rafiu, has apologised to Ghanaians following the team’s failure to qualify for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and pledged to lead the side to a bronze medal at the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship in Burkina Faso.

Ghana’s continental ambitions were shattered by a 1-0 semi-final defeat to Ivory Coast, leaving the youngsters with one final opportunity to salvage pride when they face hosts Burkina Faso in Friday’s third-place playoff.

The defeat was a significant setback for a team that entered the competition determined to secure qualification for the tournament in Morocco and progress to the final.

Issah acknowledged the disappointment surrounding their elimination, taking the opportunity to apologise to supporters while promising a strong response in their final outing. “First of all, we want to send our apologies to Ghanaians for failing to qualify for the AFCON but we want to assure them that we will show up tomorrow and win the bronze medal,” the captain said ahead of Friday’s encounter.

The skipper admitted that the manner of their exit had been particularly difficult to accept, given the importance of the continental qualification target.

“It’s really been hard to take. We came to this tournament to secure qualification to the AFCON and the way we lost to Ivory Coast has really been hard to take.”

Issah has since been working to lift the mood within the dressing room, encouraging his teammates to move beyond the disappointment and concentrate on finishing the tournament with a medal.

Burkina Faso will provide Ghana with a familiar challenge, having held the Starlets to a goalless draw in their final Group A match earlier in the competition.

The two sides could not find a breakthrough in that encounter, although Ghana had already secured their place in the semi-finals and made seven changes to their starting lineup.

Issah believes the Starlets have the quality to produce a different outcome on Friday but insists they must approach the contest with greater attacking purpose. “We’re very determined to win the bronze medal because we played with them [Burkina Faso] at the group stage which ended 0-0 but I think we can do better tomorrow [Friday],” he stated.

The captain explained that Ghana were more cautious in their previous meeting, focusing on retaining possession rather than consistently committing players forward.

For the rematch, he expects his teammates to press more aggressively, attack with greater urgency and improve their decision-making in the final third.

A more clinical performance could prove decisive against a Burkina Faso side that will have the backing of the home crowd and will also be eager to conclude the tournament on a positive note.

Ghana’s semi-final defeat to Ivory Coast was made more difficult by the early dismissal of defender Daniel Owusu, which left the Starlets playing with 10 men for much of the contest.

The numerical disadvantage complicated Ghana’s efforts to contain their opponents and maintain their hopes of reaching the final. Ivory Coast eventually secured the narrow victory, ending the Starlets’ chances of qualifying for the 2027 U-17 AFCON through the competition.

Before that setback, Ghana had produced an encouraging group-stage campaign, finishing top of Group A with seven points from three matches.

They defeated Togo and Benin before drawing with Burkina Faso, results that placed them in a strong position heading into the knockout stage.

However, the semi-final loss means Ghana will miss the continental youth tournament for the fourth time in five editions, highlighting the challenge facing the country in maintaining consistent qualification at the U-17 level.

Friday’s playoff therefore carries significance beyond the bronze medal, offering the players an opportunity to respond to adversity and demonstrate the resilience required at international level.

Meanwhile, Black Starlets head coach Kassim Mingle Ocansey has called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to retain the current squad, arguing that continuity would help nurture the players’ potential and strengthen the future of the national teams.

Ocansey believes the youngsters have demonstrated enough promise in Burkina Faso to warrant continued investment rather than being disbanded at the end of the tournament.

“I will say we should not do away with the team. We must keep this team together for the future. There are a lot of potential players in the team and if we can keep them, they can be the foundation for the future of our senior national teams.”

The coach’s appeal places renewed attention on the development pathway available to Ghana’s promising young footballers after major competitions.

For Issah and his teammates, however, the immediate challenge is to translate their determination into a result against Burkina Faso.

A victory would secure third place and provide some consolation for their failure to reach the 2027 U-17 AFCON, even if it cannot erase the disappointment of their semi-final elimination.

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