We created enough chances to win the game – Prosper Ogum reflects on Black Starlets’ defeat to Mali

Black Starlets head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum believes his side did enough to beat Mali on Saturday despite suffering a narrow defeat in their final preparatory match ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Black Starlets lost 1-0 after an unfortunate own goal separated the two sides in a competitive friendly encounter in Morocco.

Speaking after the game, Coach Ogum admitted his side should have taken their chances but remained encouraged by the overall performance of his players.

“We created enough chances to win the game, but sometimes football is like that. What is important for me is the way the boys approached the game, their movement, their pressing, and their confidence on the ball. These are things we can build on heading into the tournament,” he said as quoted on ghanafa.org.

The Ghana coach praised the team’s intensity and tactical discipline throughout the contest, insisting there were several positives to take despite the result.

The Black Starlets are now expected to shift their full focus to the U17 AFCON tournament as they continue preparations to compete against some of the continent’s top young talents.