WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship: Assistant coaches to handle Black Starlets v Nigeria clash after Laryea Kingston's resignation

Ghana's assistant coaches will lead the team in the third-place playoff against Nigeria, as head coach Laryea Kingston remains unaccounted for following the Black Starlets' 2-1 loss to Burkina Faso in the WAFU B U-17 Championship semi-finals.

Kingston's sudden disappearance has raised alarm after he left the team bus on the way to the hotel post-match and has since missed all team meetings, according to the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

Despite an impressive performance in the group stage, where they secured a 5-1 victory over Ivory Coast and a 2-0 win against Benin, Ghana struggled against Burkina Faso's tactics in the semi-finals, resulting in their failure to qualify for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations—a key goal for the team in this tournament.

With Kingston's location still unknown, the GFA has assigned the assistant coaches to lead the team in their final match, a third-place playoff against Nigeria scheduled for Tuesday.

Ghana aims to restore some pride after the disappointment of missing out on AFCON qualification, hoping to end their tournament on a high note despite the unforeseen challenges.