AFCON U-17: Ghana coach Prosper Ogum anticipates tough Senegal fixture

Ghana’s U-17 head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum is anticipating a tough duel against Senegal in the second group D match of the AFCON U-17 tournament.

The Black Starlets ceded two goals lead to draw 2-2 against Algeria in the opening game on Thursday.

The false start means Ghana must come good to stand a chance of booking the next stage and a World Cup slot.

Ghana gave away two goals to draw Algeria

Prosper Ogum has admitted that, Senegal will come as a tough customer in the second fixture.

“We watched the Senegalese play against South Africa, they are very technical, they are very physical,” he said.

“What we realized was that when we give them the time and the space on the ball, if we do a lot of space marking and zonal marking they will punish us.

“We need to go up ane close on them, tight marking, make sure that they don’t really have the ball facing us.

“Because all their midfielders, front liners are technically good, they can do a lot of duels, they can do a lot of under laps.

“So we’ve already engaged the boys at a video session so we’ve seen them we will come ane continue and make sure that our defensive shape is right.

“For the offensive shape I don’t think that we have any issue with that, I think that we are expansive and everybody knows what to do with the ball.

Ghana will face Senegal who gave away a goal to lose 2-1 against South Africa in their opening game.

Prosper Ogum analyzed the fixture against the young Lions on Sunday.

“A very close game, very very hot game, high tempo game, temperaments are going to be high, the tempo is going to be high, the intensity is going to be high.

“So we need to get ready mentally, we need to get ready physically to run throughout the ninety minutes with and without the ball.

“If they lose they are out of contention, they are out of the tournament and similar if we also don’t do well, if we lose this game it means our chances will be in the hands of the last opponent.”

Group D has South Africa on three points with Ghana and Algeria tied on a point as Senegal sit bottom with no point.

The countries will be jostling for the ten slots available to Africa at the expanded 48-team U-17 FIFA World Cup to be staged in Qatar.

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