Ghana’s U-18 Girls Hockey5 team finished fourth at the maiden edition of the Hockey5 Africa Youth Championship in Kenya after suffering a narrow 4-3 defeat to Nigeria in the bronze medal match.
The young Ghanaian side made an impressive start to the tournament, recording a convincing 9-2 victory over Uganda in their opening game to announce their presence on the continental stage.
However, Ghana struggled to maintain the momentum in their subsequent matches, losing 6-2 in their second game before suffering a 10-2 defeat to hosts Kenya. The team were then handed another heavy setback by South Africa, who recorded a 10-0 victory over Ghana.
Despite those defeats, the Ghanaian girls showed character to secure a place in the third-place playoff, setting up another encounter with Nigeria. Ghana produced a much-improved performance against the Nigerians and pushed them all the way, but Nigeria eventually edged the contest 4-3 to claim the bronze medal.
The result means Ghana missed out on qualification for the maiden FIH Youth Hockey5 World Cup, scheduled to be held in December 2026.
Despite missing out on the podium, Ghana had individual recognition through captain Eva Amoako, who was named the Spirit of the Tournament. Amoako, who also plays for the University of Ghana hockey team, was further rewarded for her attacking contribution after finishing as the second-highest scorer of the women’s tournament.
The Hockey5 format, which is played with smaller teams on a smaller pitch, is designed to provide young players with a fast-paced and development-focused pathway into the sport.
For Ghana, the tournament provided valuable international exposure and experience for a promising group of U-18 players, who will look to build on the campaign as they continue their development.
By: Victoria Kwofie
