The national U-17 team, the Black Starlets gave their senior colleagues the Black Satellites (U-20) a sound beating thanks to a 3-0 victory in a May 9 Stadium Disaster Anniversary match on Wednesday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
An improved second half performance from the Starlets saw them overpower the uninspiring Satellites side with three well-taken goals, giving coach Orlando Wellington enough cause to worry with less than two months to their 2013 CAF African Youth Championship qualifier against Uganda in Kampala.
The match, which climaxed the 11th anniversary of the May 9 Stadium Disaster celebrations lived up to its billing, with the twinkle twinkle Starlets teaching their seniors some bitter football lessons.
The Satellites squad dominated by some of the best performers in the ongoing 2011/2012 Glo Premier League, appeared weary, lacked cohesion and could only rob the Starlets off the ball with their physical challenges.
The Starlets were however a delight to watch with a performance that whetted the appetite of the young crowd, and looked poised to face the Baby Scorpions of Gambia in the first round of the qualifiers of the CAF U-17 Championship in October.
After a barren first half, the Starlets managed by Samuel Fabin took charge of the game with captain Osei Barnes and Emmanuel Gyamfi leading onslaughts into the half of their opponents.
On 57 minutes, Nafiu Dramani headed in the opener from James Akaminko’s cross from the flanks with the Satellites defence and goalkeeper stranded in wonderland.
Six minutes later, Gyamfi doubled the lead with yet another beautiful header before Barnes scored the third goal on 68 minutes with a superb shot that left goalkeeper Felix Annang of Asante Kotoko fame with no option with Gyamfi providing the assist.
Keeper Annang was pulled out later for Muntari Tagoe after the third goal but it was still the Starlets who remained in control of proceedings.
In the dying embers of the game, Starlets goalkeeper Owusu Da Costa, pulled up a superb save off Benjamin Agbeko’s thunderbolt to the amazement of the fans. It was the last chance for the Satellites and incidentally their best in the second half to end up an exciting evening in honour of the fallen football fans.**
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