Starlets leave for New Zealand

By Samuel Ebo Kwaitoo

THE national U-17 soccer team, the Black Starlets will miss the services of key player, Fattau Barnes, when they attempt a third assault on the world juvenile championship scheduled to take off in far away New Zealand next Wednesday.

Barnes, who was one of Coach Jones Attuquayefio's main characters in his scheme of affairs, was completely knocked out of the tournament when he got injured during the Starlets' recent tour of the U.S. According to a source close to the player, medical reports have ruled him totally out of the World Cup as the muscle tear from which he is suffering will take not less than three weeks to heal completely. This development has dealt a big blow to Coach Attuquayefio, who was full of praise for Barnes during the U.S. tour. The offensive midfielder, who plays for division one side Maamobi Youth, was adjudged as the best player in the Starlets game against the U.S. which Ghana lost 1-0.

Meanwhile, a contingent of 24 players and officials of the Black Starlets left Accra for New Zealand last night to defend the national flag in the fifth FIFA/JVC Under-17 World Cup.

The players who made the trip are Maxwell Owusu Banahene, Sumaila Abdallah, Lawrence Kainyah, Michael Essien, Stephen Tetteh, Anthony Obodai, Michael Osei, Stephen Oduro, Ibrahim Atiku, Ishmael Addo, Bernard Don Bortey and Nathaniel Lamptey.

The rest are Kwame Frimpong, Michael Donkor, Seth Ablade, Ibrahim Razak, Emmanuel Nkrumah and Razak Pimpong. The officials who accompanied the team are GFA member and leader of the delegation, Mr K. Bram-Larbi, Mr Kojo Quarshie, head coach Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, assistant coach Kuuku Dadzie, Dr Frank Appiagyei and Seidu Younan (physiotherapist).