Former Ghana international Nii Odartey Lamptey has described the Black Starlets’ opening result against Algeria at the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as acceptable, while urging the team to raise their performance in the remaining group matches to secure qualification.
Ghana began their Group D campaign with a 2-2 draw on Thursday at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in a match of two contrasting halves.
The Black Starlets made a strong start, racing into a 2-0 lead through early goals from Yao Gavi Robinho and Eric Adu Gyamfi, raising hopes of a comfortable win.
However, the momentum shifted after the break as Algeria responded strongly, scoring twice before the 70th minute to restore parity and put Ghana under pressure.
The North Africans later had a chance to complete a comeback after being awarded a penalty, but the effort went wide.
Reflecting on the result in an interview with Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show, Lamptey acknowledged the value of the draw but stressed the need for improvement.
“A draw against Algeria is not a bad result, but the players must improve in the next game,” he said.
“For now, the team must win their last two games, or win one and draw one to ensure qualification,” Odartey Lamptey added.
Elsewhere in the group, South Africa went top of Group D after defeating Senegal in their opening fixture.
The Black Starlets will now turn their attention to a crucial second group match against Senegal on Sunday, May 17, at 16:00 GMT, as they seek their first win of the tournament.
