How Ghana beat Uganda to win fourth African U-20 Nations Cup as Afriyie Barnieh grabs brace for Satellite
Ghana win fourth African U-20 Nations Cup in Mauritania after beating Uganda in final at Stade Olympique, Nouakchott. The Major headline was Hearts of Oak 19-year old forward Barnieh who scored in each half to hand Satellite their first U-20 Afcon title in 12 years.
Ghana had last won the African Youth Championship in 2009 after beating Cameroon 2-0 in the final but the Gold Coast country had struggled to lift the title in more than a decade.
They entered into the Total African U-20 Nations Cup held in Mauritania with a champions tag from conquering West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B tournament in Togo and even started brightly enough with this one after hammering Tanzania 4-0 in their opening game.
While that trend was expected to continued in subsequent games, Satellite suffered set back when their last two group stage games against Morocco and Gambia ended in draw and loss respectively but Ghana still qualified as one of the third best teams.
Satellite then after crushed out Cameroon in the quarter-finals- aside that held Ghana tight in their last final in Rwanda but Ransford Osei’s sank the young Indomitable Lions.
In their next final in Mauritania after 12 years, Uganda were the next country to test the might of Satellite as Ghana searched for their fourth title, and came out with head straight once again.
Meanwhile, Ghana overpowered Gambia in the semifinals whiles Uganda white-washed Tunisia with a deserving 4-1 victory to make a difficult final with Karim Zito’s side.
Despite empty stadium, the game itself was highly tensed with both nations knocking around the clock to lift the ultimate. For Uganda it would have been their first ever title in the history of African Youth Championship while Ghana have tie with Egypt 4 titles each as the second most successful nations behind Nigerian- the most successful nation with a record 7 U-20 African Cup of Nation titles.
Having started quite brightly, Uganda nearly broke the deadlock inside the first 5’ minutes after Kakooza was sent through from Byaruhanga in deep midfield but the forward who got the better off Asinki in one-on-one situation kicked it over the cross bar.
When Asinki was beaten in the midst, shot-stopper Ibrahim Danlad was the immediate man to save Ghana from that brilliant Uganda chance which Kakooza should have scored. Danlad’s sudden call into action distracted Kakooza who surprisingly opted for the space over the bar rather than the net.
Ghana took over dominated Uganda and nearly went ahead with a double effort striking against the woodwork after eleven minutes. A sweat delivery from a corner inside Uganda’s box saw Philomon Baffour’s header hit the cross bar and as Uganda failed to clear the lines the rebound fell straight to Patrick Mensah whose effort hit the cross bar again.
Despite Ghana looking the better side after 5’ minutes, the two quick woodwork hits changed the story for the Satellites having grown confidence in attacks this time while Uganda were forced to be more cautions at the back.
The Ugandan defense sieged against Ghana’s attacks from open plays limiting the West African side to set pieces. Those moments were somehow ‘good’ for Byekwaso’side especially when they had giant men to defend the free kicks and corners.
Ghana’s set pieces failed to trouble Uganda with Asinki’s header going into the waiting hands of Komakech whiles Fatawu’s free kick near the centre went straight into the keeper’s arms again.
Afriyie Barnieh was the man to beat Uganda’s high wall after rising on to Fatawu’s corner with a quality of a finish. The Satellite captain reacted the quickest to meet the ball at near post before stretching the left foot to a brilliant tab into the far posts.
Ghana’s dominance had finally resulted in that deserving lead after 22’ minutes but somehow it was Uganda’s line that went to sleep. Karim Zito and his technical celebrated the opener and they must be commended with their tactics that was a hell of an obstacle for Uganda.
Essiam and Patrick Mensah were the main men driving Satellite but Zito handing Barnieh the free role with the opportunity to join in three men midfield was tactically genius as the game’s hero excellent, Essiam brilliant, Mensah splendid while Suleman, Boah and the next big thing in Ghana football Issahaku Fatawu were quite quite in the first half.
With much expectation on Uganda to find the lever in the second half, the East African side failed to spark any come-back with Ghana going ahead for a second time 6’ minutes after restart. It was a hallmark Ghana movement, and in fact, Satellite had produced such swift and tremendous team attacks but the difference was that those end products were problematic where many of those chances were missed.
This time Ghana find the accurate conversion inside the penalty box with Barnieh striking it beyond Komakech to the far right of the net as Satellite led 2-0. Though Barnieh showed quality given that finish, Issahaku was the man in center of all happens after receiving a long-sustained-possession pass from midfield and somehow on the right flank, the nibble left footed winger beat his marker to the right before timing the run of Precious Boah down the right flank with a perfect pass. Boah would also not be overlooked in the process who showed determination- passing it across with his weaker right foot for Barnieh to complete his brace.
The victory was a historic one with Ghana lifting their fourth U-20 African Cup of Nations title a day of 64th independence-day in homeland. Ghana have won in the years of 1993, 1999, 2009 and 2021 as Satellite players celebrated with great joy and happiness.
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