Black Starlets captain Benjamin Tsivanyo has stated that the resignation of coach Laryea Kingston did not negatively affect the team during the WAFU Zone B Championship in Accra.
Kingston, a former Black Stars winger, unexpectedly stepped down from his role after the Black Starlets’ semifinal defeat to Burkina Faso.
Speaking to Kessben FM, Tsivanyo, who plays for Great Olympics, emphasized that the team’s performance was not hindered by Kingston’s departure.
“His resignation did not affect us. We’ve learnt a lot from him, so in his absence, we can execute what he taught us. We are not all that worried because certain things happen. In football, you can’t work with only one coach, so we will move on with what he taught us,” Tsivanyo explained.
Despite aiming for gold, Ghana settled for fourth place after a disappointing 2-3 loss to Nigeria in the third-place playoff, held at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium. The Black Starlets’ ambitions were further thwarted as they lost to Burkina Faso, the eventual tournament winners, in the semifinals.
The Black Starlets were striving to qualify for the AFCON U17 for the first time in seven years, but their hopes were dashed after their fourth-place finish in the WAFU tournament, which serves as qualifiers for the AFCON.
Despite this setback, the team remains committed to building on the foundation laid by Kingston and pursuing future successes.