Starlets whip Beninois counterparts 4-1

Obuasi (Ashanti), 23 Nov. 1998 - The national under-17 soccer team, Black Starlets, put up an impressive performance to thrash their Beninois counterparts 4-1 in their African Youth Championship first leg qualifying encounter at the Obuasi Len Clay stadium. Displaying abundant skills and bite upfront, the Starlets, spearheaded by centre forward Razak Pimpong and left winger Baffour Gyimah, set the stadium alive with a second minute goal, which was disallowed by the Guinean referee, Camara Zakaria Aibutu. The Ghanaians, poised to follow the good works of their predecessors, kept the pressure on their opponents and earned a second corner kick in the 15th minute, which was wasted. In the 17th minute, however, the moment of glory came as Baffour, after collecting a pass from right full back Emmanuel Nkrumah, shrugged off two defenders before beating 'keeper Amausau Valera for the opener. The Ghanaians maintained their drive and secured the second goal in the 25th minute through inside left Bernard Don Bortey, who capitalised on a goal-mouth melee to slot the ball home. The Starlets, unrelenting in attack, earned two corner kicks in the 28th and 34th minutes but wasted them. In the 42nd minute the gem of an attacker, Baffour Gyimah, collected the ball around the centre circle, raced into the opponents' vital area before displacing on-rushing Valera for the third goal to end an exciting first half. The Beninois resumed the second half substituting inside right Padouar Roland with Pongou Yves, and in the 47th minute tested Ghanaian keeper, Owusu Banahene, with a close-range shot. In the 50th minute the visitors replaced their left-back, Kakanakan Patrick, with Agavoedo Romain, but it was the Ghanaians who nearly caused another disaster when Razak missed narrowly, giving a breather to the visitors. The substitutions contributed greatly to the bite of the visitors upfront as they earned a corner in the 52nd minute and another in the 55th minute. In the 62nd minute the Ghanaians, who appeared tired, brought on Tony Obodai and Owusu Boateng for mid-fielder Bismark Mensah and right winger Joshua Amui Quaye, while the Beninois replaced inside-left attacker, Moumouni Nourou, with Fousseini Hammidou. With their game improved, the visitors earned a corner kick in the 68th minute, which was well utilised by Boukari Gumar to give his side a consolation goal. But urged on by the fans, the Starlets enhanced their game and scored their fourth goal through substitute Owusu Boateng. Line up: Ghana - Banahene, Nkrumah, Otoo, Essien, Inusah, Mensah/Obodai, Quaye/Boateng, Abeiku, Razak/Kyeremanteng, Bortey, Gyimah.