Ghana U17 side Black Starlets to face Tanzania in friendly tomorrow

Tanzania U17 side will host Ghana's Starlets in a friendly on April 3 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam as both teams prepare for the upcoming Afcon U17 in Gabon from May 21-June 4.

The Serengeti Boys, who are tying all loose ends at the moment, are keen to be ready for the continental showpiece that has attracted the crème-de-la-crème of African youth football.

Speaking to supersport.com, Serengeti Boys head coach Kim Poulsen said, “It is very good for us to play against a top quality team like Ghana because they offer tough competition that will prepare us for the tough task ahead.”

Tanzania will open their account against the reigning Afcon U17 champions Mali on May 15in Port Gentil and Poulsen believes that playing against two-time African champions Ghana will help his boys toughen up.

The Serengeti Boys defeated Burundi 3-0 in a friendly on Thursday in the northwestern city of Bukoba and will face them again on Saturday before flying to the capital the following day.

“These two friendly matches are very important to our preparations before we play against Ghana. We are getting to where we want to be by the day,” he added.

Serengeti Boys will then fly to Morocco for a residential camp before heading to Cameroon where they will play two friendly games against the Junior Indomitable Lions.

Tanzania is in Group B along with Mali, Niger and Angola while hosts Gabon were drawn in Group A with Cameroon, Guinea and Ghana.

The semifinalists from this tournament will represent Africa at the Fifa U17 World Cup set for October 6-28 in India.