African Games: High flying Black Satellites triumph over Gambia
Ghana's U-20 team, known as the Black Satellites, showcased their prowess, securing a vital 3-1 victory over Gambia in their Group A encounter at the 13th African Games on Tuesday night.
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The match kicked off with Ghana dominating possession, demonstrating their attacking intent from the outset.
It didn't take long for them to break the deadlock as Musibau Aziz found the back of the net in the 13th minute, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
As the game progressed into the second half, Ghana continued to press forward relentlessly, seeking to extend their lead.
Their efforts paid off when Abdul Aziz Issah doubled their advantage with a clinical finish in the 49th minute, putting Ghana firmly in control.
However, Gambia refused to go down without a fight, showing resilience and determination to claw their way back into the game.
Their persistence paid off in the 83rd minute when Edrissa Ceesay pulled one back for Gambia, setting up a nervy finale.
With tensions rising and the outcome hanging in the balance, Ghana sealed their victory in style with Jerry Afriyie netting in the 90th minute, much to the delight of the home fans.
Reflecting on the impressive performance, Ghana's Head Coach, Desmond Offei, praised his team's effort, stating, "The boys deserve it. We've really worked hard and we know what they can do and they showed it today."
In contrast, Gambia's Head Coach, Abdoulie Bojang, acknowledged his team's shortcomings, admitting, "Tactically we are not organized. We considered cheap goals, especially the second and the third goal could have been avoided but overall I think the Ghanaian team were the better side."
In the other Group A fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium, Congo and Benin battled to a goalless draw in a closely contested encounter.
Both teams exhibited strong defensive resilience throughout the match, with neither able to find a breakthrough despite several promising attacking moves.
Despite the deadlock, both coaches expressed contrasting sentiments regarding the outcome. Benin's Head Coach, Mathias Dèguènon, expressed disappointment with the result, stating, "To be honest, I don't think I should be happy with this result. I really regret how the game went especially in the final minutes."
On the other hand, Congo's Head Coach, Clemènt Massamba Madieta, emphasized the need for improvement, remarking, "We are not satisfied with the results. It was a game of two halves even though we could have won. Our defenders were good but offensively there is still some work to be done."
Both Congo and Benin will look to rectify their shortcomings in their final group match on Friday against Gambia and hosts Ghana respectively.
