Black Starlets head coach Kassim Ocansey has expressed his disappointment following Ghana’s 1-0 semi-final defeat to Côte d’Ivoire at the WAFU Zone B U17 Championship, insisting that an early red card significantly affected his team’s chances.
Ghana’s hopes of reaching the final were dealt a major blow in the 17th minute when Daniel Owusu was sent off, forcing the team to play with 10 men for the remainder of the encounter.
The Black Starlets had started the contest positively and were competing on equal terms with their Ivorian opponents before the dismissal changed the dynamics of the match.
Despite the setback, Ocansey’s team remained organised and continued to create opportunities. However, their resistance was broken in the 76th minute when Alex Fousseni Bamba scored the only goal of the game.
Speaking after the final whistle, Ocansey admitted that the result was particularly painful because he believed his team had been in control before the red card.
“It was a game we could have won. It was a game we were controlling until the red card on the 17th minute. Even after that, we created some good chances but missed them. And considering the time Ivory Coast scored, it’s really painful,” he said.
The coach’s comments highlighted the frustration within the Ghanaian camp after a performance in which the players showed determination despite their numerical disadvantage.
For Ocansey and his technical team, the immediate task will be to assess the campaign, learn from the disappointment and prepare for the next opportunity to restore Ghana’s standing in youth football.
