Ghana yesterday proved that their 0-2 loss to Nigeria in the group stage of the WAFU Cup was a fluke when they beat the home-based Eagles 4-1 in the final game of the WAFU Cup held at the Cape Coast Stadium, Ghana.
Yesterday’s game saw a different Black Stars, who ran rings around their perennial rivals in a game that would have be more disgraceful for Nigeria if not for the heroics of goalkeeper/captain, Ikechukwu Ezenwa.
Ezenwa, who did not concede any goal before the final game, was awarded the best goalkeeper award. But that was after he had picked the ball four times out of his net.
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Ghana started the game like a house on fire and would have gone ahead in the 10th minute if Rabiu Ali was not on hand to block a Samuel Sarko effort into corner.
Ezenwa came to the Eagles’ rescue in the 33rd minute when he pulled off a fantastic save to deny Isaac Twum. Soon after, defence stalwart, Adeleye Aniyikaye copped an injury, prompting his substitution by Ariwachukwu Emmanuel.
Soon after, Ghana was 1-0 up through the rampaging Sarfo, who defied a sea of legs to plant the ball beyond Ezenwa. That was just a minute before the break.
In the second half, Coach Salkisus Yusuf brought in Gabriel Okechukwu for Ubong Friday to add pep to the midfield, but the expected renaissance lasted only a few minutes before Ghana resumed their torment of the Nigerian team.
It became 2-0 when Patrick Razaq was tripped in the box and Vincent Atinga sent Ezenwa the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Sarfo made it 3-0 in the 77th minute from the penalty spot when Nigerian defender, Eze brought down a Ghanaian attacker in the box.
Ghana were reduced to 10 men in the added time when Atinga was sent off for a second bookable offence, but that did not stop them from making it 4-0 through Winful Cobbinah, who tapped home following a lovely work from Patrick Razak.
Nigeria reduced the deficit with what seemed to be the last action of the game through Rabiu Ali.
