Ghana’s Black Starlets will step up their quest for qualification to next year’s U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when they take on Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B Championship tomorrow.

The Starlets booked their place in the last four after drawing 1-1 with Niger in their final group match, a result that saw them finish top of their group and set up a meeting with Côte d’Ivoire, who finished runners-up in Group B.

Coach Kassim Ocansey’s side enjoyed an impressive run in the group stage, opening their campaign with a victory over Togo before overcoming Benin in their second game. They then drew with Niger to finish the group stage with seven points.

The Ghanaian youngsters will now turn their attention to the Ivorians, knowing that victory would take them into the final and secure qualification for the U-17 AFCON scheduled to take place in Morocco next year.

However, the encounter is expected to be a stern test for the Starlets, given the longstanding rivalry between the two West African nations at various levels of football.

Côte d’Ivoire will also be eager to demonstrate the strength of their youth development system by overcoming Ghana and advancing to the final.

For Ghana, the match presents an opportunity to assert their dominance at the juvenile level and take another significant step towards continental qualification.

The fixture also evokes memories of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final in Equatorial Guinea, when Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, suffered a heartbreaking 9-8 penalty shootout defeat to Côte d’Ivoire after 120 minutes of goalless football.

Although the current contest involves the two countries’ youth teams, the historical rivalry adds another layer of significance to the encounter.