Wafu Cup: Ghana march on with Ofori Antwi penalty heroics [+HIGHLIGHTS]
#WAFU2019 Take a look at the highlights from the game between Ghana 🇬🇠and Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 in the quarter final match of...
Posted by ESPN Africa on Friday, October 4, 2019
Goalkeeper Eric Ofori Antwi saved two spot-kicks as defending champions Ghana defeated Burkina Faso 5-4 on penalties to qualify for the semifinals of the 2019 Wafu Cup of Nations Friday night.
The pulsating encounter at the Stade Lat Dior in Thies, Senegal had ended 1-1 after regulation time.
Burkina Faso made a perfect start by scoring from their first attacking move after only three minutes – when a free-flowing move down the right side concluded with Ilias Tiendrebeogo tapping home a pin-point cross from Mody Cisse.
The Black Stars almost hit back eight minutes later when Augustine Okrah tried his luck from long-range, but his powerful effort went just wide of the post.
Ghana persisted in attack after that and managed to find the equalizer in the 38th minute when skipper Shafiu Mumini headed a left-sided cross from Joseph Esso past the keeper to see the half end 1-1.
The second half saw Ghana continue their dominance of the game, but their passing in the final third let them down. The first decent chance of the half came in the 62nd minute when Okrah found some space on the edge of the box, but he fired his shot inches over the target.
Burkina Faso saw very little of the ball in the second 45 although Tiendrebeogo almost grabbed the winner for them in the 84th minute when a loose ball fell to him just inside the box, but the striker blazed narrowly over the crossbar.
The game ended 1-1 and went to penalties to decide the winner where Ofori Antwi saved two spot-kicks to see Ghana win 5-4 in the shootout.
Next up for Ghana in the semifinals on October 9 is the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Ivory Coast and Togo.
Additional text from ESPN
