Black Starlets ring five changes for crucial South Africa clash

Black Starlets head coach Dr Prosper Narteh Ogum has made five changes to his starting line-up ahead of Ghana's decisive Group D encounter against South Africa at the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.The crucial fixture is scheduled to kick off at 19:00 GMT as the Black Starlets chase victory to boost their hopes of progressing in the competition and securing a pathway to the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar later this year.Ogum has handed goalkeeper John Annan a starting role ahead of Solomon Kwame Kesse, with the shot-stopper expected to provide composure and confidence between the posts.

In defence, Gabriel Denyinah comes into the side at left-back in place of Issah Abdul Rafiu, while the rest of the defensive unit remains largely intact.The coach has also made adjustments in midfield and attack.

Captain Joseph Narbi earns a starting berth ahead of Mark Aboagye as the technical team looks to add leadership and energy to the side.

Abdul Latif Wunzalgu also comes into the starting line-up ahead of Mark Kagawa Mensah, while Michael Awuli replaces Easu Atsu Kpoeti.The changes underline Ogum's determination to freshen up the side and inject renewed energy ahead of the must-win contest.The Black Starlets head into the encounter after picking up one point from their opening two games following a 2-2 draw against Algeria and a narrow defeat to Senegal.

The Starlets will be hoping the changes can inspire a strong performance against the South Africans in what promises to be a fiercely contested clash.