Afcon U-20: Ghana through to the quarter finals despite defeat to Gambia
The Black Satellites despite their fine start almost get kicked out of the tournament thanks to the third best placed team rule.
As it has always been said, that hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. That was exactly what happened today. Team work overshadows individual brilliance.
The Ghanaians were an embodiment of talents, but how they played was seen as showing their individual talent instead of playing as a team.
The Ghana U-20 team took the lead in the early exchanges as Abdul Fataw Issahaku scored his second goal of the tournament. He released a thunderbolt strike which went into the far left corner of the net on the 9th minute to put Ghana ahead.
But two quick goals from the Gambians on the 20th and 34th minute saw them take the lead.
The former U-20 world champions taught things will changed in the second half but the Gambians just held on until the final whistle was blown.
The Satellites are now placed third and have been drawn against Cameroon, who have been in good form since the start of this tournament. It will be a tough nut to crack against a team like cameroon haven’t mucsled their way into the quarter fonals.
Even though the Satellites are placed third, they can’t be written off, Portugal once found themselves in a similar situation during the 2016 European Championship. But they went on to lift the trophy by beating France in the finals.
Coach Karim Zito will have to worked out the negatives in this game, so that they prepare well for their next game.
Ghana will also hope Abdul Fataw Issahaku keeps his performance, as he has already showed signs of succeeding Mubarak Wakaso in the near future, but he still has a long way to go.
Next for the Satellites is a quarter finals clash against Cameroon on 25th.
Saaka Issah
sportsmrnews.com
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