U-17 Tourney: Defeat, Setback For Ghana —Coach

•Samuel Bwesi Fabin

•Samuel Bwesi Fabin, Starlets Coach

•Samuel Bwesi Fabin, Starlets Coach
•Samuel Bwesi Fabin, Starlets Coach

Chief Coach of Ghana’s Black Starlets, Samuel Bwesi Fabin has declared that the 1-6 hammering they got from Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets in the first group match of the CAF U-17 Championship was a big setback for his team.

The Nigerian lads who got three of their players sent packing from the tournament by CAF for being overage put up an impressive performance to beat Ghana 6-1 in a Group B match played at Grande Stade Marrakech last night.  Led by some awesome all-round play and top-notch goal-scoring display from their aptly named striker Success Isaac, who scored four goals the Nigerians were simply brilliant. Despite a brave showing  from the Starlets  they just  could not live with the Nigerians, strength, and quality, prompting Coach Bwesi Fabin to confess after the match that “Nigeria surprised us tonight (yesterday), they were far better than we had expected and outplayed us. We did not see this heavy defeat coming at all and not only were the Nigerians good but they were stronger too.

“We have to regroup and try to salvage our campaign to reach semi-finals, but now we can only look ahead to one game at a time. So we need to have a look at how we approached this game because our tactics and set-up did not work at all. Our focus shifts to the next game against Congo and not the one beyond that, and little by little we see if we can recover from this big setback.”

Meanwhile, Eaglets’ coach, Manu Garba, said that his boys enjoyed the victory over Ghana and are looking forward to winning the tournament.

“We enjoyed this victory against Ghana because they a good side and we are traditional opponents. It’s a good start for us, but we remain focused because we have not won anything yet.

Related News

“This is not the first time Nigeria are winning by a big margin at this level, when we won the tournament in Togo in 2007, we beat Eritrea 8-0, but this is the first time we are beating Ghana this way.

“We are happy and we are looking forward to a good tournament and by the grace of God, we shall qualify for the World Cup as African champions, “ Garba said.

Success, who was given the match ball following his hat trick, has dedicated his goals to his mother and Golden Eaglets’ teammate, Friday Njengo, who is hospitalised at the National Hospital,  Abuja, following injury in an auto-crash in February.

•Football action during the match between Nigeria's Golden Eaglets and Ghana's Black Starlets in the CAF U-17 tournament in Morrocco, yesterday.  Nigeria won 6-1
•Football action during the match between Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets and Ghana’s Black Starlets in the CAF U-17 tournament in Morrocco, yesterday. Nigeria won 6-1

Njengo who had been in coma for weeks was recently transferred from the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit to the general ward as he recuperates.

“Our thought and prayers are always with Njengo who would have been here with us if not for the accident he had,” said Success. “We missed him so much. “I’m dedicating this victory and two of my goals to him and the two others to my mother. We pray that God grant him good health soonest,” he said.

Load more