Day two of the CAF African Schools Football Championship resumes on Thursday in Accra, with the spotlight firmly on host nation Ghana as they prepare to take on South Africa in a high-stakes encounter in the boys’ under-15 competition.
Ghana, who launched their campaign with a convincing victory on Wednesday, will be aiming to maintain momentum when they return to the pitch at 11:00 a.m. GMT.
The hosts are seeking to impress on home soil as they continue their push for a place in the latter stages of the tournament.
South Africa, buoyed by a 2-0 win over Algeria in their opener, will present a stern test. The Southern African side looked organised and clinical in their debut outing and will now be looking to claim a second consecutive victory to solidify their position in the group standings.
Elsewhere in Thursday’s programme, the early kick-offs will feature Tanzania facing Ivory Coast and Senegal meeting DR Congo, both at 9:00 a.m. GMT.
Tanzania, who shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw with Senegal on Wednesday, will hope to edge past an Ivorian team looking to make a mark in their first outing of the competition.
Meanwhile, Senegal, who showed promise in their opener, will be eager to turn possession into three points when they clash with DR Congo.
At 11:00 a.m. GMT, Uganda and Algeria are set to battle in what could prove a critical fixture for both teams. Algeria, still reeling from their opening defeat, face an uphill task to revive their campaign. Uganda will aim to capitalise and open their account with a win.
The afternoon fixtures promise even more action. At 1:00 p.m. GMT, Ivory Coast will play their second match of the day against Senegal in what is expected to be a fast-paced encounter.
Tanzania will also be back in action, facing DR Congo in a bid to build on their opening-day draw.
Thursday’s final fixtures will see South Africa return to the field to take on Uganda at 3:00 p.m. GMT, while Ghana will conclude the day with another test against Algeria at the same hour.
A second win for Ghana would see them take a significant step towards qualification, while Algeria face a must-win scenario to stay in the competition.
The CAF African Schools Championship, which serves as a developmental platform for young footballers across the continent, has already delivered a host of compelling performances.
With matches scheduled across the day, Thursday is shaping up to be pivotal in determining the group standings heading into the latter stages of the event.
As the tournament unfolds in Accra, the spotlight will remain on the young talents representing their nations, each one hoping to leave a lasting impression in a competition that continues to grow in stature within African football development.
