Two first-half strikes from skipper Agyei Duah were enough for the Ashanti Region as they clinched their second KGL U-17 Inter-Regional Championship title with a 2–1 win over defending champions, Western Region, in the grand finale played at the McDan Teshie Sports Complex on Saturday.
The 2023 champions, who finished behind Central Region in Group B, grabbed two goals in the space of four minutes from skipper Agyei Duah, with his namesake, Ramzy Duah, reducing the deficit from the spot with seven minutes remaining on the clock.
The end-to-end, action-packed game was watched by the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku; Chief Executive Officer of KGL Foundation, Mr Elliot Dadey; and the Chairman of the National Juvenile Committee (NJC), Mr Joe Salam Abubakar, among others, holding all spectators spellbound as both sides plotted to outdo each other.
Ashanti began to exert more pressure midway through the game, and it paid off in the 27th minute when Duah received a pass from midfield, controlled it with his left foot, and unleashed a bullet shot with his right that came off the upright before entering the net.
Before the Western side could settle, Duah made it two, hitting a rebound from close range past goalkeeper Frank Abu.
Western had to wait until the 73rd minute when Ramzy Duah scored from the penalty spot after he was hacked down in the box by Yussif Seidu.
The victory marks Ashanti’s return to the podium after their maiden title in 2023, when they defeated Brong Ahafo on penalties in Kumasi.
En route to winning the title, Ashanti lost their opening game 3-1 to Eastern Region before defeating Central and Brong Ahafo 3-1 and 3-0, respectively, before accounting for Greater Accra 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw during regulation time.
In the third-place match, Central Region defeated Greater Accra 3–0 during penalty shootouts after a 1–1 draw in regulation time.
Skipper of Greater Accra, Jeremiah Abalo, was adjudged the Overall Best Player, Ashanti Region’s Kelvin Baffoe picked up the Most Promising Player award, Western Region’s Frank Abu took home the Best Goalkeeper award, and Ashanti duo, Agyei Duah and Alidu Issah, finished the tournament as joint top scorers with seven goals apiece.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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