AFCON U20:Ghana outclass Tanzania, Morocco edge past hard fighting Gambia

Dominant Ghana made a strong statement with a 4-0 victory over debutants Tanzania while Morocco were also off to a winning start in this editions AFCON-U20 currently in progress in Mauritania.

Ghana, the overwhelming favourites of the encounter, took control of the match immediately after kickoff and were more organised in attack and duly deserved leading by the break as they were more enterprising in attack than their opponents.

They were ahead after just four minutes when Boah’s freekick from range took an awkward bounce infront of keeper Daniel Mgore and leaped into the bottom left corner.

Meanwhile, Tanzania were guilty of giving away cheap freekicks in dangerous positions and they survived two subsequent dead ball situations with Boah driving both into the wall.

Tanzania had a glimpse of goal twice in succession in the 12th and 15th minutes, first Hassan Kapalata hitting one from range which skied inches over while the second from Novatus Dismas also flew over the bar.

On the other end, Ghana should have doubled the tally and Boah completed his brace when they turned over possession, the quick feet of Mohammed Sulemana feeding Boah on the left, but the striker’s shot flew over the bar.

Tanzania had slowly grown into the game and pulled the strings well in their passing, but failed to pose any danger on the most important end of the pitch; the final third.

Their surge was punctured right on the bally on the half hour mark when Abdul Fatawi noticed Tanzania goalie Mgore off his line and took a brilliant shot a few yards away from the halfway line, dipping beyond the shot stopper and into the net.

Stunned after going two down within half an hour, Tanzania remained determined to turn the tide, and they should have done better four minutes to the break when Abdul Hamisi brilliantly cut the ball back from the left, but South Africa based forward Ally Msengi struck the ball high and wide from good scoring range.

The Ngorongoro Heroes came back off the break a different side and straight from the restart piled the pressure on the Ghanaians. Nassor Hamoud was brought in for Kapalata, a change that was meant to solidify the midfield as they sought to overturn the deficit.

They came close nine minutes into the second period when Hamisi collected the ball from the left off a throwing but his shot on quick turning went just inches wide.They came ever so close in the 67th minute when some beautiful combination play on the left saw a cross come in, but Kevin John’s well angled header struck the bar.

Almost immediately, Tanzania had another chance, Hamisi again galloping away on the right from a quick turn of play, but his final shot was inches over the bar.Tanzania’s fight was punctured and perhaps put off in the 71st minute when Boah completed his brace with another sensational strike.

The burly striker picked up a cross from Mohamed on the right before some magic feet sat his defender down to give him space to fire a left foot belter past the keeper.Tanzania attempted to respond with two shots from John, but both were easily collected by the Ghanaian keeper.

It was all over for Tanzania two minutes to time when the Black Satellites sealed the victory, Barnes signing off with the fourth with a calm finish past the keeper after Mathew Cudjoe’s defence splitting pass cited his brilliant run into the box.

Elsewhere, El Mehdi El Moubarik’s penalty goal lifted former champions Morocco to a 1-0 win over a hard fighting Gambia as the young Atlas Lions began their Group C campaign with victory at the Stade de Nouadhibou on Tuesday evening.

In a tight and cagy match with few and far in between chances, it was the North Africans who would walk off with victory and move second in the standings behind Ghana who thrashed debutants Tanzania 4-0 on the opening match earlier on.

El Moubarik scored from the penalty spot to give Morocco the lead after 23 minutes, but this was not until the initial penalty was ordered to be retaken.Oussama Zemraoui had stepped up to take the spot kick after Gambia defender Edrissa Ceesay had been adjudged to have handled the ball inside the area as he tried to block an El Mehdi Maouhoub header off a cross.

Zemraoui saw his penalty saved by Gambian keeper Lamin Saidy, but the referee ordered for a retake as the shot stopper was flagged for coming off his line early. Morocco resorted to switching penalty takers, El Moubarik stepping up to score the opener.

It had been a balanced start to the match though Morocco were more direct in their approach. Achraf Ramzy had the first sniff at goal for the North Africans with a volley inside the box off a corner that went just over.

After conceding though, Gambia’s Baby Scorpions were more adventurous going forward and came close nine minutes to the break, but were denied by the Moroccan keeper Alaa Bellarouch.

The shot stopper spread his body nicely at the near post to block a shot from Alagie Saine after he had initially spilled the ball off a freekick.The second half was closely contested with Gambia constantly trying to break the lines and progress to find goal scoring opportunities.

However, they could not pick the right passes and seldom had a shot on target.In contrast, Morocco had two efforts come close with Mohammed Ammine’s freekick rolling over the bar while substitute Tawfik Bentayeb had another go just wide after curling beyond the wall.

Mamadou Bojang had a late effort for the Gambians when he was sent through on goal after some good link up play, but he was flagged offside as he went to pull the trigger.

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