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31.08.2007 Sports News

Two Down, One To Go - As Starlets Conquer South America

31.08.2007 LISTEN
By Daily Graphic

It's now a feeling of 'no turning back' for Ghana's Black Starlets after restoring the nation's pride and hopes at the ongoing FIFA Under-17 World Cup in style.

It's now a feeling of 'no turning back' for Ghana's Black Starlets after restoring the nation's pride and hopes at the ongoing FIFA Under-17 World Cup in style, beating major rivals, Brazil, 1-0 in Gwangyang, South Korea, and turning the country back home into sheer frenzy.

The spectacular show-piece brought the Starlets face-to-face with Peru, their third South American opposition at the tournament, as a confident Coach Sellas Tetteh declared they could “go all the way”.

In sharp contrast, Sellas Tetteh's Peruvian counterpart, Juan Jose Ore, and his team limited their quarter-finals berth to just the night of Wednesday, reminding his team that “tomorrow we'll start thinking about our next opponents, Ghana,” after his side managed to edge out debutante Tajikistan in another nerve-racking penalty shoot-out.

Indeed, the feeling in the Ghanaian camp was aptly captured in the words of the hero in the Brazil match, Isaac Donkor, who said “we only had one thing on our minds — getting to the final”.

It is on this premise that the two nations have set up another high-profile meeting at the tournament.

Tomorrow's clash in Changwon will restage the 2005 episode in Peruvian capital, Quito, where the Starlets and the hosts of the last edition of the tournament drew 1-1 in a group match.

It will mark another effort by the Ghanaian team at tracing their path across history as they seek to replicate the feats of the 1991 and 1995 squads who ruled the world on each occasion after beating Brazil.

Midfielder Isaac Donkor's terrific strike six minutes after recess last Wednesday undid the Brazilians' fourth title ambitions, but left the Ghanaians counting the cost of missing Francis Boadi through suspension after he was sent off late in the first half.

The depletion notwithstanding, Coach Sellas Tetteh has remained his confident self, inspiring his boys into one conquest after another in their march towards the ultimate.

The all-high mood in camp is understandable and suggests that the Peru match is just another hurdle.

Making it from the group stages almost without notice or funfare, the Peruvians are obvious underdogs against the two-time world champions whose outstanding game against Brazil has restored their status as favourites for the title.

Indeed, Peru only reached the quarter-finals on penalties after managing a 1-1 draw with debutantes, Tajikistan, thanks mainly to the heroics of Peruvian goalkeeper Eder Hermoza.

Hermoza had a really huge presence in the posts and stopped one penalty upon which his side triumphed into the quarter-finals. Yet, they still remain largely anonymous.

Contending with the prolific Ransford Osei, as well as playmaker Ishmael Yartey, Saddick Adams and the tireless Daniel Opare, Peru can only brace up for their biggest test yet.

Story by Michael Quaye

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