Ishmael Addo powers Satellites with a lone
goal
Ishmael Addo powers Satellites with a lone
goal
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 October 2000
Defending Africa under-20 champions, the Black Satellites of Ghana, moved a step closer to qualifying for next year's championship in Ethiopia when they managed a hard-fought 1-0 win over their Algerian counterparts at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Ishmael Addo clinched the lone goal in the 81st minute of the first leg of the last qualifying match, setting a stage for a fierce battle in Algiers in two weeks' time.
Despite the win, many soccer fans left the stadium worried of what is likely to happen to the Satellites in the return leg.
It would be recalled that the 1986 squad beat their Algerian counterparts by 3-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium, but their opponents managed to cancel the scoreline in Tiaret in the return encounter and went ahead to beat the Ghanaians on penalties.
This back ground, coupled with the lack of striking instincts by the Ghanaians anchored by Addo, have made the second leg very dicey.
The fans registered their displeasure when they pelted the technical team, lead by head Coach E. K. Afranie, with bagged ice water.
Barely a minute after kick-off, Denmark-base striker Razak Bimpong brought the over 25,000 fans to their feet with blistering runs down the left flank and in the process forced Ouati Zoubir to handle the ball in the penalty area but which Senegalese referee Diatta Baolara waved play to continue.
After 10 minutes into the game, the visitors recoiled into their shells and resorted to feigning injuries to slow down the pace. But Suley Muntari's 18th minute volley nearly caught the defencemen, including their goalkeeper Abdouni Merouaye "pants down".
Goalkeeper Merouye stretched to parry the ball, which went off the cross-bar and was cleared away.
The Ghanaians took total dominance of the game from then on but could not find an antidote to the defensive network of the Algerians.
Playing with one top, Kechout Yassine, the Algerians changed their style with occasional counter attacks, especially down the right flanks, but each time they did, the Ghanaian defenders, pivoted around Stephen Tetteh held them at bay.
Midfielder Stephen Oduro and right winger Ofosu Amoah (Tico) gave way to Ibrahim Razak and Mathew Attiogbe at the start of the second half. The two brought some life into the game, especially in attack, but they had to wait until the 81st minute to break the deadlock.
Pimpong failed to make a first time connection of Muntari's corner but luckily, the ball fell on the path of Addo in a goal mouth action who sliced it into the net for the lone goal of the match.
Line up (Ghana): George Owu, Lawrence Kainya, Addoquaye Pappoe, Villars Patrick, Stephen Tetteh, Suley Muntari, Ofosu Amoah/Mathew Attiogbe, Stephen Oduro/Ibrahim Razak, Ishmael Addo, Razak Bimpong, Charles Taylor.
GRi…/