Ghana’s U-17 men’s national team, the Black Starlets, began their UEFA U-16 four-nation tournament with a disappointing 3-1 defeat against hosts Russia on Wednesday (24 April).
Led by former Ghana winger Laryea Kingston, the Starlets displayed glimpses of promise but were ultimately outclassed by a strong Russian outfit.
The young Ghanaians found themselves behind early on as Zenit St. Petersburg forward Vadim Shilov opened the scoring for the hosts inside the opening four minutes. Shilov doubled Russia’s lead from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark before Spartak Moscow’s Zakhar Chushkin extended their advantage three minutes later.
The Starlets showed commendable fightback in the second half, with Ernest Ofori pulling a goal back in the 64th minute. However, they were unable to find an equaliser and slumped to defeat.
This tournament serves as a vital preparation ground for the Black Starlets ahead of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship, which Ghana will host on 15 May. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) will be hoping the young team can learn valuable lessons from this encounter and build cohesion ahead of the upcoming regional tournament.
Next up for the Starlets is a game against Serbia on Friday (26 April).
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