Satellites to represent Stars against Cape Verde

The national under-20 soccer team, the Black Satellites, are to step in for their senior colleagues the Black Stars, in their one-leg final qualifier against Cape Verde for this year's West Africa Football Union (WAFU) competition scheduled for Senegal in September this year.

The match would be played on Sunday, May 20. The decision is to help toughen the boys before the World under-20 Champions in July and also to avoid disrupting the Star Premier League.

Coach Emmanuel Kwesi Afrianie told the GNA in Accra on Wednesday that the team would be without Accra Hearts of Oak's trio of Ishmael Addo, Stephen Tetteh and Charles Taylor and players of Kotoko including petit Stephen Oduro due to the schedules of their clubs.

In addition, coach Afranie would have to do without any of his foreign players because the WAFU competition rules do not allow it.

As a way of averting any calamity, the coach is looking round to recruit some players to beef up his defence and attack.

Even though the final list has not been released, GNA sources said striker Issa Mohammed of Sekondi Hasaacas and Hearts of Oak's new found defender Dan Oppong, formerly of Bofoakwa are to be included.

The championship is scheduled for Dakar, Senegal from September 28 to October 7.

Five other qualifying matches have also been scheduled for May 20, and the winners would join host Senegal and Nigeria who have been seeded.

According to the fixtures, Mali play host to Liberia, Sierra Leone welcome Guinea, Benin clash with Togo, Gambia lock horns with Burkina Faso and the winner of the Niger-Guinea Bissau delayed preliminary match would play Cote D'Ivoire.

In all, eight countries including host Senegal are expected to compete in the rejuvenated WAFU games being sponsored by TV Africa.

The winner of the competition takes home 30,000 dollars and the runner up 20,000 dollars.

On his plans for the World Youth Champions, coach Afranie said eight foreign-based players are expected to join their local counterparts.

The players are Derrick Boateng of Greece club Panathiniakos, Michael Essian (Bastia, France), Anthony Obodia, Kwame Quansah, and Abukari Yakubu all of Ajax, Holland.

The rest are John Mensah (Switzerland), Mathew Amoah (Vittesse) and Frank Weitner of Mochenglabac, Germany.