Accra, Ghana – 2 August 2025
The knockout rounds of the All Africa U-15 Team Championships 2025 began with intense quarterfinal action at the Borteyman Sports Complex. The top teams from the group stage, South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, and Mauritius, were joined by Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Algeria, and Namibia, all looking to earn a place in the semi-finals. The pressure was higher, the rallies were longer, and the cheers from the crowd were louder than ever.
South Africa vs Ivory Coast – 55–11
South Africa wasted no time in asserting control over their quarterfinal match. Amy Wu opened with a strong performance in the Girls’ Singles, taking the first game 11–9 against Anaelle Marie-Lynn Toh Peroh. Wu then partnered with Melay Pretorius in the Girls’ Doubles to extend the lead to 22–3, dominating the net and forcing errors from the Ivorian pair. The Boys’ Doubles pairing of Cayden Le Roux and James Gabriels kept the momentum going with a quick 11-point win, pushing the score to 33–4. In the Boys’ Singles, Joel Burrell outplayed Marc-Alvine Damo Enou to reach 44–9, before the Mixed Doubles duo of Huei-Gin Chen and James Gabriels wrapped up the tie 55–11.
Amy Wu reflected after the win:
“We wanted to start strong and keep our focus from the first rally until the last. Ivory Coast played with a lot of heart, and there were moments where they really pushed us, but we stayed disciplined and kept the pressure on. I’m proud of how every player in our team contributed today, and we are ready to bring that same energy into the semi-finals.”
Egypt vs Tunisia – 55–22
Egypt’s quarterfinal against Tunisia was a demonstration of control and consistency. Mohamed Ahmed Bahgatopened with an 11–5 Boys’ Singles win over Mohamed Seddik Chtioui, before Ahmed Mostafa Mahmoud and Omar Abdelaziz doubled the lead in Boys’ Doubles with a solid 22–13 score. The Girls’ Doubles team of Karma Amr Mohamed and Salma Ahmed Salah then pushed the score to 33–16, showing great movement and sharp shot placement. In Girls’ Singles, Rama Hussein Hamdy extended the advantage to 44–16, and the Mixed Doubles pair Hana Mohamed Hamam and Anas Eslam Sobhy closed the tie at 55–22.
Omar Abdelaziz said afterwards:
“We are happy to make it to the semi-finals, but we know the road ahead will only get tougher. Every match counts now, and we can’t afford to switch off even for a single rally. I think our teamwork and communication were the keys today, and if we can keep that up, we have a good chance to go all the way.”
Algeria vs Ghana – 38–55
This clash was one of the most anticipated matches of the quarterfinals, as Ghana, the host nation, took on a strong Algerian side. Ghana’s Obapomba Adu-Mintah gave the home team an early lead with an 11–2 win in Boys’ Singles against Seif Eddine Adem Touati. Algeria fought back in the Girls’ Doubles, with Hadjer Talbi and Chaima Boufenniche pushing Ghana hard before falling 22–18. The Boys’ Doubles was a turning point, as Melchizedek Takyi Adu and Moses Yaw Ansong Adu extended Ghana’s lead to 33–20. In Girls’ Singles, Moslena Ama Koramah Adudefeated Algeria’s Chiraz Halimi 44–36. The Mixed Doubles sealed the tie, with Adu-Mintah partnering Moslena Adu for the final push to 55–38.
Obapomba Adu-Mintah shared his excitement with BCA TV:
“The crowd was amazing today; every point we scored felt like the whole hall was lifting us higher. Playing against Algeria was tough because they are experienced and very quick around the court, but we stayed calm and stuck to our plan. This win means a lot to me personally, and we want to carry this home energy into the next match.”
Namibia vs Mauritius – 23–55
Mauritius proved too strong for Namibia, delivering a consistent and well-balanced performance. The Boys’ Doubles team of Rishabh Koolomuth and Yeshveer Rambaran gave Mauritius an early lead at 11–7. Chhavi Ramlagandominated the Girls’ Singles to extend the score to 22–9, and the Girls’ Doubles of Eva Amber Leefye and Divyana Sawaram stretched it further to 33–17. In Mixed Doubles, Leo Jean-Mathieu Douce and Chhavi Ramlagan powered their way to 44–20, before Douce returned for the Boys’ Singles, finishing the tie 55–23.
Leo Jean-Mathieu Douce commented:
“We stayed disciplined and kept our game plan clear from start to finish. Namibia fought hard and made us work for points, but we managed to control the tempo. Now that we’re in the semi-finals, our focus is on improving even further and making sure we play our best badminton when it matters the most.”
With the quarterfinals complete, the semi-final line-up is set: South Africa will face Egypt, while Ghana will battle Mauritius in what promises to be an unforgettable day of junior badminton. The crowd in Accra will be ready, the players will be focused, and the fight for a spot in the final is set to reach new levels of intensity.
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