Black Starlets coach Laryea Kingston has called for support for his players following their recent victory over Benin in the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship.
The Black Starlets secured a 2-0 win against Benin in their final group match on Tuesday afternoon at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, finishing at the top of Group A.
Despite their success, there have been concerns about some basic mistakes made by the players in the two games played so far.
Kingston has defended his players, emphasizing that they are young and need the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them.
“In this part of the world, we focus more on results. But this age group is just for development. Any win or qualification for a major tournament is a bonus,” Kingston said.
“For me, we have to develop the boys, give them the confidence to play. If my player makes a mistake at this age, it’s part of his development.
We have to encourage them to have confidence, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes. Stopping them from doing what they are doing isn’t the best because it’s not good for their development,” he added.
Kingston’s team has advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament and will face the second-placed team from Group B.