Ghana’s U-17 national team, known as the Black Starlets, has demonstrated impressive form in their recent preparatory phase by securing convincing back-to-back friendly victories against FC Samartex 1996 at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samraboi.
On March 14, 2026, they overwhelmed the club’s youth side with a commanding 6-0 win, showcasing dominant attacking play and clinical finishing that underlined their growing confidence and sharpness during this intensive training camp.
The very next day, on March 15, the young talents followed up with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Samartex’s senior first team, proving their ability to compete effectively even against more experienced opposition and further highlighting their strong offensive momentum as well as defensive resilience in these controlled but competitive settings.
These results are part of a carefully structured build-up program as the squad intensifies preparations for the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place in Morocco from late April onward.
The Black Starlets earned their qualification spot for the continental showcase back in October 2025, when they defeated Nigeria 2-0 in a decisive WAFU Zone B semi-final encounter, marking a significant achievement and ending an eight-year absence from the tournament.
Since then, the team under coach Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum has engaged in a series of friendlies—including earlier wins over sides like Attram De Visser Academy, Semper Fi FC, and Port City FC—to refine player combinations, enhance tactical discipline, improve match fitness, and build overall cohesion ahead of the high-stakes competition, where the top finishers will also secure places at the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Historically, Ghana stands among the most successful nations in U-17 continental football, having lifted the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations title on two occasions—in 1995 and 1999—while also enjoying remarkable global success with two FIFA U-17 World Cup triumphs in 1991 and 1995, plus runner-up finishes in 1993 and 1997.
These dominant recent friendly performances, particularly the emphatic scoring display against a youth setup and the gritty victory over a premier league senior team, serve as highly encouraging indicators that the Black Starlets are rediscovering their traditional strength and could be well-positioned to challenge for a return to past glory when they compete in Morocco.