Black Starlets coach Prosper Ogum calls for patience after semifinal qualification

Black Starlets coach Prosper Ogum says his team needs to be more patient on the field after securing qualification to the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B U17 Boys Championship in Ivory Coast.

The team bounced back from a poor start, which had put their qualification in jeopardy. They drew with Togo and were defeated by Ivory Coast, earning just one point from two games. A win against Niger was crucial to remain in the competition, which also serves as a qualification for the U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Late goals from Mark Kagawa Mensah and Robinho Yao Gavi sealed a 3-1 victory for the Black Starlets on Friday in Yamoussoukro.

"Both teams played very well. Niger were organised defensively and tried to catch us on the break. We needed a win, so we pressed and exploited spaces behind them. The early parts were difficult, but we found our rhythm in the middle and created chances to win,” Ogum said.

He added, "We have to try as much as possible to be patient; it’s something we lack. These are young boys, and sometimes when they come, they are carried away by the atmosphere in the stadium, so sometimes they forget themselves, and they are in a rush to execute decisions which are not correct. Once we are very composed on the field of play, we can play.”

Ghana now await their semi-final opponent, which will be decided on Saturday, as the competition moves closer to its final stages.

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