Black Starlets dominated Ivory Coast despite final defeat - Prosper Narteh Ogum

Black Starlets head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum has insisted that his team was the superior side, despite falling to Ivory Coast in the final of the 2025 WAFU B U-17 Championship.

Ghana’s U-17 team overcame a difficult start to the tournament, bouncing back from a 3-0 defeat to hosts Ivory Coast in their second group match to defeat Nigeria and secure a spot in the final.

In the championship decider, the two sides played out a goalless draw, but Ghana ultimately lost 4-3 in the ensuing penalty shootout.

Speaking to Asempa FM, Narteh Ogum stressed that the outcome did not reflect his team’s performance on the pitch.

"We outplayed Ivory Coast, and they did not have a plan B because we were determined not to lose in the final," he said.

"We planned very well ahead of the game to eliminate most of their dangerous players, and our game plan worked to perfection, but unfortunately, we lost on penalty shootouts," he added.

Despite the setback, Ghana have secured qualification for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to take place in Morocco later this year.

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