Kwarteng's early strike gives Ghana's young stars a winning start in Ouagadougou as they chase a place at the 2027 U-17 AFCON.
Ghana's next generation of talent has made a statement in Burkina Faso. The Black Starlets opened the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship with a 1-0 win over Togo at the August 4 Sports Stadium in Ouagadougou on Saturday, taking a first step toward the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
David Kwarteng scored the only goal of the game in the seventh minute, finishing off a well-worked set-piece. Abdul Latif Wunzalgu sent in the free-kick, which was initially blocked. Captain Abdul Rafiu Issah followed up and kept the move alive, and the ball fell to Kwarteng, who made no mistake.
Coach Kassim Ocansey's side stayed on the front foot after the opener and carved out several chances to put the game to bed. Alidu Issah, Yaw Acheampong and Wunzalgu were all among those who had openings to extend the lead, but the finishing was not sharp enough on the day.
That wastefulness meant Togo were never out of the contest and stayed within reach of an equaliser until the final whistle. It is a lesson for a young squad that will need more composure in front of goal as the tournament goes on.
Still, three points on opening day is exactly what Ghana wanted. With a place at the 2027 U-17 AFCON up for grabs through the WAFU Zone B route, the Starlets have set an early marker and shown again why Ghana's youth pipeline remains one to watch across the continent.
