GRi Sports 25-02-99

Accra (Greater Accra), 25 Feb.  

Ghana's Black Satellites scored an impressive 5-0 win over Angola in their second group A Africa under-20 soccer championship match played at the Accra Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday night.

By the victory, Ghana, did not only become the first country to qualify for the semi-finals and for Nigeria '99 next April but also the team to score the highest number of goals so far in the tournament.

They top their group with six points from two matches, having beaten Mali 1-0 in the opening match on Sunday.

On the other hand, Angola, having lost their two matches became the first team to be shown the exit. Their third match with Mali on Saturday will only be a formality. Cameroon are second with four points from two games.

The Satellites opened their floodgates with a 29th-minute spot-kick, converted by defender Issah Abdul Rahman after striker Owusu Afriyie had been brought down in the penalty area.

Angolan midfieder Andre Mateus who, elbowed central defender Kofi Amoako, was shown the red card in the 39th minute but the Satellites waited till after the break to increase the tally.

Inside left Skelley Adu Tutu went through the Angolan defence from a one-two move with Afriyie to tap the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper Mamona Joao Luis for the second goal in the 51st minute. After the goal, coach Guisseppe Dossena brought on Awuley Quaye Jnr, for Johnson Eklu (55th), Theophilus Amuzu for Abdul Razak (69th) and Issah Mohhamed for Baffour Gyan in the 77th minute.

Incidentally, all the three substitutes scored a goal each. Awuley Quaye in a characteristic fashion, delivered a 25- metre shot into the far right corner of the net in the 78th minute for Ghana's third goal.

Amuzu and Mohammed made it 4-0 and 5-0 in the 83rd and 89th minutes respectively for the Satellites.

After the goals, the fluent-playing Angolans launched a last minute attack but the Satellites defenders thwarted all their attempts at goal.

Owusu Afriyie was adjudged the best player of the match and received a ghetto blaster donated by LG Electronics. Coach Dossena said after the match that: "The boys played better in this match than against Mali especially in the second half but all I want is to get to Nigeria '99".

Meanwhile Ghana is leading the fair play chart in group A. According to CAF technical report, the Satellites lead by 9.75 points followed by Mali with 9.71, Angola, 8.28 points and Cameroon 4.75points. Line up Ghana: Sammy Adjei, George Blay, Hamza Mohammed, Kofi Amoako, Issa Abdul Rahman, Abdul Razak/Theophilus Amuzu, Owusu Afriyie, Laryea Kingston, Baffour Gyan/Issah Mohammed, Skelly Adu Tutu and Johnson Eklu/Awuley Quaye.

Angola: Mamona Joao Luis, Refato Baptista, Manuel Ferreira/Antonio Miranda, Comes Makuntima, Francisco Monteiro, Antonio Jose Da Silva, Mateus Andrea, Hermenegildo Joaquim, Morais Paulo, Agost Morais Sebastiao/Flavio Da Silva, Pedro Taveres Pereira.

Scorers: Ghana: Issah Abdul Rahman (29), Skelly Adu Tutu (51), Awuley Quaye Jnr (78), Theophilus Amuzu (83), Issah Mohammed (89).

Accra (Greater Accra), 25 Feb. 

Standings of group A teams after the second round matches on Wednesday in the African U-20 soccer tournament.

Accra (Greater Accra), 25 Feb  

Mali and Cameroon settled for a 1-1 draw in their second round Group A match of the African Under-20 Youth Tournament played at the Accra Sports Stadium in Accra Wednesday night.

Cameroon scored first in the 12th minute through midfielder Mbami Modeste before Mali equalised through inside right Tenema Ndiaye in the 53rd minute.

The Malians took the kick-off and nearly got a first-minute goal but overlapping right full back Mamadou Bacayoko fumbled and allowed the Cameroonians to clear the ball from their vital area.

The Cameroonians tightened their defence and kept the Malians, who were attacking from all angles, at bay for the first ten minutes before initiating a counter attack, which earned them the opener in the 12th minute.

Left winger Thierry Modo took a long ball from the defence, raced down the flank and sent in a cross for Tenema to connect it home beyond the reach of goalkeeper Bourama Demble in posts for Mali.

The Malians, led in attack by Boubacar Giundo, were able to go through their opponents' defence with ease but they, most of the time, found it difficult to finish off their brilliant moves.

In the 18th minute, Cameroon's right full back Jean-Pierre Tcheitchoua, who was finding it difficult to handle Guindo, brought the Malian down for referee Monteiro Duarte of Cape Verde to show him the first yellow card of the match and the third for his country.

Mali nearly equalised in the 24th minute but goalkeeper Carlos Kameni of Cameroon was able to block Guindo's shot and Tenema fired the rebound over the bar.

The Malians wasted another chance in the 33rd minute through Bacayoko after which Cameroon returned the attack and nearly netted in the 42nd minute but centre forward, Daniel Ngom shot wide from close range.

Cameroon brought on Alain Inogue for inside right Balse Mamoun after the break but the determined Malian side continued their search for the equaliser, which they got in the 53rd minute.

Goalkeeper Kameni of Cameroon failed to clear a back pass to him. Slippery Tenema pounced on the ball, beat two defenders and planted it into the net from an acute angle.

Camerron substituted Modo for Francois Dikoume in the 66th minute while Mali pulled out Bacayoko for Baba Cisse.

Mali nearly went ahead in the 78th and 82nd minutes but good goalkeeping of Kameni robbed them of both chances while an 89th minute beautiful attempt at goal by Dikoume hit the posts.

Skipper Daniel Ngom of Cameroon was adjudged the best player of the match, his second in the tournament. He won the award in their first match against Angola on Sunday.

Mr E.T. Mensah, Minster of Youth and Sports, presented Ngom with a radio cassette player, donated by LG Electronics, and a compact disc gospel album entitled "Take me away" by disabled singer, Becky Singer.

Line-up:

Mali - Bourama Demble, Mamadou Bacayoko/Baba Cisse, Adama Coulibaly, Bakou Tounkara, Tenema Ndiaye/Coulibaly, Lassana, Mahamadou M.Diarra , Giundo Boubacar/Mahamadou Dissa, Sedou Keita, Youssouf Coulibaly, Abdoulaye Camara and Boubacar Keita.

Cameroon - Carlos Kameni, Thierry Modo/Innocent Hamga, Clement Lebe, Modste Mbami, Blaise Mamoun/Alain Inogue, Francis Kioyo/Gaspard Komol, Andre Ottou, Jean-Pierre Tchietchoua/Francois Dikoume, Daniel Ngom and Salifou Ibrahima

Accra, (Greater Accra) 25 Feb.  

Coach Francisco Abrev, of the Angolan under-20 team said his team's 5-0 defeat to Ghana in the second group A match yesterday was due to the first-half expulsion of their key player and the early penalty to the Satellites.

Ghana converted a 19th-minute penalty after striker Owusu Afriyie was brought down in the penalty area and Midfielder Andre Mateus was shown the red card in the 39th minute for intentionally elbowing Ghanaian defender Kofi Amoako He said the two incidents demoralised the playing body and affected their morale.

In a post-match interview in Accra today, Coach Abrev admitted that the Satellites played a much-improved game, especially in the last 20 minutes of the match, than intheir first match on Sunday.

"If Ghana should continue to play like this, she is likely to meet Nigeria, one of the favourites, in the finals", said Abrev On his chances against Mali on Saturday, he said though his boys are already out of the competition, they need to salvage their image by beating the Malians.

"The players are very determined to go back to Angola with at least a win in their maiden appearance at the Africa U-20 tournament", the coach said. Asked whether Wednesday's results would not affect the boys, the coach said "they have long forgotten about it and psychologically prepared to beat the Malians".

Ghana meet Cameroon in the other group A last match on Saturday, February 27.

Accra, (Greater Accra) 25 Feb.  

Daniel Ngom Kome, skipper of the Cameroon under-20 team, Lion Ceaux, said in Accra today that he is using the Ghana '99 tournament to market himself.

The Coton Sport player, who has won the best player award in their two group A matches, said after serving his local club for five years, he would need to move out to have the necessary exposure.

Speaking in a post-match interview, Kome said he has no particular country in mind but he is ready to play in any European country, provided the offer and the terms of agreement are good.

"I would love to play in Europe because they have better training facilities and better conditions", he said.

Kome, who could not play for Coton Sport in the last Champions' League preliminary matches due to injury, said he sees the Cameroon/Ghana match on Saturday as very crucial.

"We need to beat Ghana to qualify for Nigeria '99 but it will not be easy. I respect the Satellites, they are a good side, but we are better", said Kome.

He said Ghana has the advantage of being host country, "but that could also be dangerous because the pressure from the supporters could affect their performance".