Abidjan: Ghana’s U-17 Women’s Handball team bounced back with a significant win against Togo at the ongoing 2025 International Handball Federation (IHF) Africa Zone III Women’s tournament in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire. After losing their opening game against Burkina Faso in a 27-41 match, the team came back stronger to defeat their Togolese counterparts 40-14.
According to Ghana News Agency, the team started strong, ending the first half with a commanding 18-8 lead. Ghana intensified their efforts in the second half, tactically outplaying their opponents and creating more openings. Key players, including Portia Mbalila, Ativor Ruth, Anane Yasmin, and Debora Bosompem led the attack and scored multiple goals for the team. Goalkeeper Naomi Okyere was exceptional, making crucial saves to keep Ghana in full control of the game. Her performance earned her the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Meanwhile, the U-19 Women’s team could not maintain their winning momentum in their second game, falling short to Burkina Faso in a closely contested match. Ghana trailed 13-10 at the end of the first half and, despite a determined effort after the break, the team couldn’t overcome the deficit, with the game ending 29-26 in favor of Burkina Faso.
Coach Raphael Sifah praised the U-17 team’s effort and noted the recovery was good. He mentioned that the girls were initially slow in executing the game plan, allowing their opponents to score some goals. However, he expressed confidence in working hard for the next game to restore the hope of Ghanaians in the team. He also highlighted that winning the MVP award shows the quality within the team. Sifah acknowledged the need for better preparation and training to avoid future defeats, viewing it as a learning curve.
The U-17 side will face Nigeria in their next game on Tuesday at 12 noon, followed by the U-19 team taking on host Ivory Coast at 6 pm.
