By: Belinda Nketia
Ghana’s Under-15 Girls National Team began their journey at the CAF African Schools Football Championship on April 23, 2025 with a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Morocco. Despite the lack of goals in her side’s opener, head coach of the team, Joyce Boatey-Agyei believes the team is capable of winning the ultimate.
“It’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to take the trophy,” she said after the game. “This is a great achievement for the girls; winning their first national match and I know it’s going to motivate them to get better.”
The match, played at the University of Ghana Stadium, is part of the ongoing continental tournament that features top U-15 school footballers from across Africa. Players have 20 minutes per half, a format that is designed for fast-paced action and quick decision-making, leaving little room for error.
Despite creating numerous chances, the team managed only one goal scored by forward Jennifer Awuku. Jennifer, featuring in her first major international tournament, said her goal was driven by both pride and purpose.
“My mindset going into the game was to score for my country and make myself proud and I did just that,” she said. “I feel excited because this is my first time playing for the national team. Ghanaians should expect more goals.”
Coach Boatey-Agyei admitted the players felt the weight of expectations due to the vibrant crowd and home atmosphere.
“Looking at the stadium, the environment, support, and euphoria, thoughts of disappointing the fans made the girls tense. We had to keep them calm and talk them through it,” she explained.
Tactically, she chose to field her strongest attacking players early on due to the short match duration.
“We only have 20 minutes in each half, so it’s best you put your best players upfront. We did that and created lots of chances, but because they were panicking, they missed many,” she noted.
The CAF African Schools Football Championship is a key initiative by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to promote grassroots development across the continent. It provides young athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills on a continental platform, with the long-term aim of grooming future national team players.
