Ghana’s U-19 and U-17 Women’s Handball Teams begin 2025 Challenge Trophy Campaign with victories

The national U-19 and U-17 Women’s Handball Teams commenced their participation in the 2025 IHF Challenge Trophy – Africa Zone III tournament, on Sunday (20 April) with a victories in Abidjan.

Ghana’s quest for gold at the U-19 category got off to a promising start with a 23-16 victory over their Central African Republic opponents under the lights at Palais des Sports Treichville.

Despite a rocky start, with Ghana conceding three goals before scoring their first in the fifth minute, the team rallied to level the score at 8-8 by halftime.

In the second half, Ghana showcased a more cohesive performance, tightening their defensive strategy around the 9-meter line and enhancing their attacking approach through the centre.

Mary Akaasa, Josephine Mensah, and Edna Benyingi lead a second half onslaught on the CAR side, scoring in the space of 10 minutes.

As the game drew to a close, Ghana shifted to a defensive strategy to maintain their lead and clinched the victory with a final score of 23-16.

Mary Akasaa was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the match for her outstanding performance.

Coach of the side Raphael Sifah acknowledged the improvements in the team’s general play but stressed the need to address their first-half focus.

“There is more room for improvement, so we will work on our shortcomings from the first game and refine our strategies moving forward,” he noted.

Earlier on, the U-17 team suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of their Burkina Faso counterpart.

Ghana trailed 15-21 at halftime and were unable to recover in the second half, ultimately losing 41-27.

Coach Sifah expressed confidence in his team’s potential to bounce back from this loss. “This is a developmental tournament, and I believe with time, the players will adapt and improve,” he remarked.

The U-19 side will next face Burkina Faso Monday at 6pm, before that the U-17 side will take on Togo at 12 noon.

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