Black Starlets Eye Revenge as They Clash with Ivory Coast in WAFU B U17 Final
Ghana’s Black Starlets are set for a mouth-watering showdown with hosts Ivory Coast in the grand finale of the 2025 WAFU B U17 Boys Championship on Saturday in Yamoussoukro.
The Starlets booked their ticket to the final in emphatic fashion, stunning long-time rivals Nigeria with a 2-0 victory in the semi-finals. Goals from Michael Awuli and Robinho Yao Gavi in the first half sealed the win and sent the Ghanaian bench and fans into wild celebrations.
Standing in Ghana’s way are the young Elephants of Ivory Coast, who defeated Burkina Faso 2-1 to secure their place in the final. The Ivorians, however, have already beaten Ghana in the group stage and will fancy their chances in front of their home supporters.
But the Starlets have grown stronger with each passing game, bouncing back from their shaky start to sweep aside Niger 3-1 and silence Nigeria. Coach and players alike believe the team’s resurgence has arrived at the perfect time for a shot at glory.
Saturday’s clash at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium is expected to be played in front of a charged crowd, with Ivorian fans creating a cauldron of noise and passion. For Ghana, it is not only a battle for the WAFU B crown but also a chance to restore pride and avenge their earlier defeat.
The victory over Nigeria has already guaranteed the “twinkle, twinkle Starlets” a ticket to the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. But lifting the WAFU B trophy would serve as the perfect statement of intent as Ghana looks to reassert its dominance in African youth football.
