Ghana start U20 Afcon with 4-0 victory over Tanzania as Boah hit double
The Black Satellites secured a heavy win over the young Taifa Stars at Stade Municipal de Nouadhibou in Mauritania.
Ghana opened their 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations campaign in style with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Tanzania on Tuesday.
A Precious Boah double, a sublime Abdul Fatawu Issahaku effort and a late Joselpho Barnes strike ensured three points for the Black Satellites in the Group C opener at Stade Municipal de Nouadhibou in Mauritania.
The West Africans have jumped to the top of the table ahead of the group’s second game between Gambia and Morocco.
Ghana coach Abdul Karim Zito largely kept faith in the side that won December’s Wafu Cup of Nations in Benin, handing starting roles to Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim and striker Boah, who won the top scorer’s award at the sub-regional championship.
Schalke 04 winger Barnes and Denmark-based centre-back Frank Assinki, who both did not make it for the Wafu Cup, were also named in the first XI.
Tanzania’s line-up included all three foreign-based players in their squad as German-based winger Ben Starkie, Novatus Dismas of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ally Msengi of South African outfit Stellenbosch were called upon.
It did not take long for the scoring to be broken on the day as Boah drove a free-kick into the net in just the third minute of the game to make it 1-0.
After the Dreams striker saw a 20th minute shot flash wide, Issahaku doubled the score with a long-range shot from around the centre circle.
Danlad pulled off double saves in the 70th minute to deny Tanzania a consolation, a minute before Boah registered his second goal of the game and Ghana’s third, slotting a shot into the net after receiving a through-ball from Sulemana Mohammed.
In his first-ever appearance for Ghana, German-born Banes made his presence count as he fired into the net from close range to make 4-0 two minutes to full-time.
The two teams return to action on matchday two when Ghana take on Morocco as Tanzania face off against Gambia.
The top two teams at the end of the group stage progress to the quarter-final of the competition.
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