Bashit, Bauh win MVP awards after 3-2 and 5-4 MTN Elite U-19 wins

Abdulai Bashit and Abdul Rahaman Bauh have received the first Most Valuable Player awards of the MTN Elite U-19 Championship after impressive performances in their opening matches at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence.

Bashit was decisive for Upper West Region in their Group A meeting with defending champions Eastern Region. The forward scored three times in a 3-2 victory, giving his team all three points and earning the individual award.

His hat-trick carried Upper West through a closely fought contest and highlighted his ability to finish chances under pressure. The result also gave the region a strong start against the holders in the competition’s opening round.

Bauh was recognised after Ashanti Region’s match against Volta Region, which finished 2-2 after 90 minutes. Ashanti then won 5-4 in the penalty shootout, with Bauh’s contribution to the team’s performance earning him the second MVP honour.

The two awards provide an early indication of the young players attracting attention during the 11-day championship. The tournament gives Under-19 footballers a setting to develop their technical and tactical skills, gain competitive experience and demonstrate their potential to scouts, professional clubs and national-team selectors.

Sponsored by MTN Ghana, the championship is part of the Ghana Football Association’s “Power to the Youth” initiative. The programme is designed to create a route for talented players to move from grassroots football into the professional game and, eventually, Ghana’s national teams.