Mali friendly gave us the type of test we need for U17 AFCON – Black Starlets coach Prosper Ogum

The head coach of the Black Starlets of Ghana, Prosper Narteh Ogum, was in high spirits on Saturday after the team’s defeat to Mali in a friendly ahead of the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

In the game played in Morocco, Ghana suffered a 1-0 defeat after a pulsating contest.

Despite the result, the Black Starlets produced an encouraging display in a highly competitive encounter, creating several promising opportunities throughout the game.

Speaking after the match, Prosper Ogum expressed satisfaction with his team’s overall performance and insisted the friendly offered the exact level of competition needed ahead of the tournament.

“This was the type of test we needed ahead of the AFCON. Mali gave us intensity, discipline, and competition at a very high level, and I’m happy with how the boys responded,” Ogum said as quoted on ghanafa.org.

The former Asante Kotoko trainer is expected to use the lessons from the game to fine-tune his squad as Ghana prepares to compete against Africa’s best youth teams at the U17 AFCON in Morocco.