Israel Aklie Inspires Ghana to Quarterfinal Berth with Thrilling Win Over Uganda at African Youth Championships
In a fiercely contested battle for supremacy and a quarterfinal spot at the ongoing African Youth Championships in Nigeria, Ghana’s rising table tennis sensation Israel Aklie delivered a masterclass performance to propel the nation’s Under-15 Boys Team to a 3–1 victory over Uganda.
The highly anticipated encounter saw Aklie lock horns with Uganda’s Joseph Sebatindira, the current ITTF World No. 1 in the Under-11 category, in what proved to be a dramatic five-set showdown. With confidence, composure, and tactical brilliance, Aklie overcame his formidable opponent in a pulsating clash, asserting himself as one of the continent’s brightest talents.
The rivalry between the two prodigies dates back to Botswana in 2024, where Aklie stunned Sebatindira 3–0 to clinch gold at the inaugural ITTF African Hopes Programme — a defining moment that placed Ghana prominently on Africa’s table tennis map. However, Sebatindira leveled the head-to-head in Lagos 2025, narrowly edging Aklie 3–2 at the second edition of the same program.
With their growing rivalry renewed on the continental stage, the stakes were at an all-time high. Both athletes brought their best to the table, showcasing poise and excellence to the admiration of the crowd. In the decisive match, Aklie flipped the script once more and secured a 3–2 victory (11–9, 9–11, 11–6, 9–11, 11–8) in a contest filled with breathtaking rallies, brilliant tactics, and unyielding determination.
Earlier in the tie, Aklie had recorded a convincing 3–1 win over Nsereko Sharif (11–6, 11–6, 7–11, 11–5) to give Ghana the early lead. Uganda responded through Sebatindira, who defeated Prince Aklie to level the scores at 1-1. Ghana then regained the lead as Hamza Issah outclassed Ibrahim Mutesasira 3–1, setting the stage for Israel Aklie’s epic final act.
With the victory, Ghana booked their place in the quarterfinals of the Under-15 Boys Team event and will now face Cameroon for a chance to move into the medal zone.
Notably, both Israel Aklie and Joseph Sebatindira have secured qualification to represent Africa at the upcoming 2025 ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge in Sheffield, UK from October 13–19, further underlining their stature as two of the continent’s brightest prospects.
