KGL U-17 tourney: Western keep title defence hopes alive, Ashanti stop Greater Accra
Defending champions, Western Region and the team they succeeded last year, Ashanti Region will battle for the ultimate in the 2025 KGL U17 Inter-Regional Colts Championship after both secured thrilling wins in the semi finals at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Thursday.
Western Region who won their first title in 2024, edged Central Region 1–0 to reach back-to-back finals and position itself as the first to potentially successfully defend the trophy, whilst Ashanti came from a goal down at halftime to eliminate high-flying Greater Accra 6–5 on penalties following a 1–1 draw to seal their place in the Saturday's final.
Western Region who were unbeaten in group competition despite finishing second behind Greater Accra in Group A of the tournament for Ghana's future football stars, had Ramzy Duah's superbly hit strike in the 55th minute to thank ad it proved decisive for a narrow win over Central Region in the second semi final game of the week-long tournament.
They become the first defending champions to return to the final and now stand a chance to be the first to win back-to-back titles in the 5-year history of Ghana's elite juvenile competition when the curtains are drawn on the 2025 tournament in Teshie tomorrow.
Standing in their way however is a resilient Ashanti Region side which scraped through to the semi finals despite suffering two shock defeats to Eastern and Greater Accra Elite B in Group B, and grabbed by the tightest of margins behind Central.
It booked a last 4 clash against a seemingly perfect Greater Accra in the opening game of match day 6 of an unprecedented 12-team event following the expansion to include the two GFA Elite Academies this term.
Things appeared to be going according to the script when Philip Amponsah shot Greater Accra ahead following a dominant first half display that underlined their flawless run to the knockout rounds, having won 4 of 5 group games and the other on penalties, without conceding a single goal.
All that was to change in the second half however when Ashanti, the 2023 champions turned the heat on Greater Accra. They deservedly levelled the tie when Alidu Issah struck to break the host region's defensive invincibility, and send the game into the dreaded penalty shootout.
The Ashanti lads held their nerve to edge it, 6-5 to book their place in the championship match set for the McDan Sports Complex in Teshie, Accra on Saturday afternoon.
The final will be preceded by a curtain raiser between beaten semi finalists, Greater Accra and Central in the match for 3rd and 4th place.
Backed by a mouthwatering $1 million 5-year sponsorship by the KGL group, the KGL U17 Inter-Regional Colts Championship continues to churn out brilliant talents, many of who have gone on to play for some top clubs both home and abroad, as well as the national teams.
