Ghana’s Black Satellites advanced to the final lap of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after beating Algeria 2-0 at Cape Coast on Sunday.
The two sides entered the game needing to win the game at all cost having played out an entertaining goalless draw in the first leg in Algiers a week ago.
It took Ghana 35 minutes to break the deadlock – a sublime strike from midfield anchor Mohammed Kudus.
And just two minutes after the break, Sadiq Ibrahim doubled the lead for Ghana with an intelligent finish – the winger dragged his markers to an acute angle before moving the ball to his right foot and prodded home.
Algeria made efforts to get back into the game but their hosts kept their and finished the 90 minutes with the 2-0 victory.
No cards were produced in the encounter officiated by Malian referee Boubou Traore.
Ghana are now just one more hurdle away from securing a ticket to the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations to be hosted by Niger. The Black Satellites will face Benin who also eliminated Gabon on a 3-2 aggregate scoreline. A brace by Samson Akinola handed the Beninoise a 2-0 victory and the advantage having lost the first leg 2-1 to the Young Scorpions in Banjul.
The first leg of the Ghana-Benin clash has been fixed to come off between 13, 14 and 15 of July while the second leg will be played between 20, 21, and 22 of July.
Line-ups:
Ghana XI:
16-Abdul Manaf Nurudeen – 14-Maxwell Arthur, 2-Gideon Mensah, 15-Issahaku Konda ©, 11-Abdul Fatawu Hamidu, 17-Emmanuel Kumah, 8-Prosper Ahiabu, 10-Kudus Mohammed/50’ 18-Boakye Agyei – 3-Sadiq Ibrahim/73’ 6-Sulley Ibrahim, 7-Richard Danso/65’ 14-Saliw Babawo, 9-Umar Basit Abdul Rahman
Unused subs: 1-Danlad Ibrahim, 13-Daniel Adrain Adjetey, 5-Jude Ekow Arthur, 12-Tanko Ibrahim
Algeria XI:
16-Daas – 11-Belharan, 13-Belaid, 6-Tougai (c)/73’ 5-Kerroum, 3-Belarbi, 2-Boucif, 10-Boudawi, 8-Zorgan, 9-Moulay, 15-Benhebil/65’ 12-Amara, 17-Zerdum/67’ 14-Zerrouki
