Prampram, July 13, GNA - Five members of the current national Under-17 team, the Black Starlets would be axed from the team on Saturday as part of preparations for the World U-17 Championship in Korea next month.

The team currently in camp is made up of thirty players preparing feverishly for the 12th edition of the biennial competition. Speaking to the GNA Sports at Prampram on Thursday after the team's training session, Sellas Tetteh, the newly appointed head coach of the technical team said that the squad will be pruned down to twenty-five after a friendly match against Liberty Professionals at the Dansoman Carl Reindorf Park on Saturday.

Coach Tetteh explained that the action is to pave the way for the technical bench to work at practicing different tactics with the final selected players for the World Champions and to maintain the focus of the team.

The coach who doubles as the assistant coach of the Black Stars added that the team will further be pruned to 21 by the end of next week for the final stage of preparations.

The soft spoken Coach who was appointed less than sixty days to the Korea championships, said that he is racing against time to build a formidable team, which can make a strong impact at the competition. He, however, said that he has no intentions of bringing in new players into the team and explained that the current team handled by former coach, Fred Osam Doudo is capable of performing creditably at the world championships if some rough edges are worked on.

Having failed twice to qualify to U-17 side to the African and World Championships in 2001 and 2003, Coach Tetteh hopes to be this time lucky and called for the support of all to succeed.

Ghana, twice winners of the competition in 1991 and 1995 are paired in Group F alongside Trinidad and Tobago, Germany and Colombia for the event, which spans August 18 to September 9, 2007. Meanwhile, the Starlets beat Madina-based second division side, Zurak FC 3-0 in a preparatory match played at Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence pitch in Prampram on Thursday.

Striker Ransford Osei scored two goals with midfielder Isaac Donkor netting the third goal.

The team will round up the week's training session with a friendly encounter with Premiership Liberty Professionals on Saturday. Kick off time is 8 am.