Flying Start for Satellites ... Beat Burkina Faso 2-0 in U-20 Afcon

By Raymond Ackumey

The Black Satellites, Ghana's U-20 male soccer team got their 21st Africa Youth Championship in Niger off to a flying start when they beat the Junior Stallions of Burkina Faso 2-0 in their delayed Group B match at the Stade de Maradi, yesterday.

Goals in the 40th and 76th minutes from the foot of striker Daniel Lomotey Agbloe propelled Ghana, three time winners of the competition to the summit of the group table ahead of Senegal, also 2-0 winners against Mali on Sunday.

The game which was rescheduled from Sunday to yesterday due to faults with the floodlight had both sides starting the game very well with the Junior Stallion making the first attempt at goal as early as the second minute.

Ghana then made inroads into the area of their opponent's, creating numerous goal scoring chances which Lomotey, Mohammed Kudus and Sadiq Ibrahim wasted.

Enoch Atta Agyei followed with another decent chance for Ghana in the 31st minute with a thunderbolt that missed the post by inches.

At this stage, the Black Satellites as they seized the midfield and dictated the game pattern as the Junior Stallions to resorted to physical play in a bid to slow the Ghanaians.

Four minutes later the Burkinabe's had a first shot at goal from Elliass Dianda but goalkeeper Abdul Manaf Nurudeen in post for Ghana dealt with it.

On the 40th minute, Lomotey capitalized on a defensive blunder to lob over an onrushing goalkeeper Mohamed Zegue Traore, for the opener.

Emmanuel Kumah nearly doubled it on the stroke of half time after he was put through by Kudus but goalkeeper Traore was quick off his mark to save the ball.

The Junior Stallions nearly scored a minute after the restart but Ghana keeper Nurudeen kept the ball away from Hugo Passega who was patiently waiting to tap home.

Nurudeen made another great save in the 73rd minute when he parried a goal bound header from defender Kone.

Four minutes later, Lomotey put the game beyond the reach of the Burkinabe's as he exploited the backline of the Stallions before rounding up Traore to score.

With their backs against the wall, the Junior Stallions came out in search of a goal but they found the Ghanaian goalie a tough customer to deal with as he pulled magnificent saves in the latter stages of the game.

Ghana will next play Senegal tomorrow evening.

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