Satellites to settle for bronze

Ghana's dream of winning a fourth Africa Youth Championship title suffered a major blow following a 2-0 defeat to the Flying Eagles of Nigeria at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar last Wednesday.

Flying Eagles would now be pursuing their seventh title after man-of-the-match, Obina Nwobodo and Musa Muhammed scored at each half to confirm Nigeria’s place in the final of the 19th edition of the tournament.

This has left the Ghanaians with no option than to vie for bronze in tomorrow’s  third-place match, barely two years after Egypt denied them Satellites gold medal in a 5-4 penalty shootout in same competition in Algeria, after they had battled to a 1-1 draw in a grueling 120 minutes of football.

With the dream to win gold now a mirage, the Satellites must now turn their attention on to the upcoming world championship slated for New Zealand later in the year where they are expected to replicate their predecessors in 2009.

Ghana is the only Africa country to have won the World Youth Championship and even without the African trophy this time around, they are still expected to carry the continent’s hopes as Coach Sellas Tetteh attempts to  conquer the World again later in the year.

Two years ago, Ghana went into the World Championship in Turkey with silver from the continental competition and although it has eluded them going to the tournament in New Zealand, their brilliant display in all their games in Senegal could still make them one of the favourites for the world title.