By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Oct. 30, GNA – Ghana’s Under 23 National Team, the Black Meteors, have progressed to the next stage of the CAF Under 23 Championship after beating their Mozambican counterparts 2-0 at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday.
Captain Daniel Afriyie Barnie and Sylvester Simba scored the two goals to complete the double after beating the visitors 2-1 in Maputo last week.
The Black Meteors would now have to beat Democratic Republic of Congo in the final round of qualification to secure a place in the Championship in Morocco, next year.
Coming on the back of victory in the first leg, the Black Meteors were tipped to progressed to the next stage and they did that comfortably in front of a sparse crowd.
First attempt at goal came the way of the Meteors on the third minute but a header in the 18-yard box went wide.
Daniel Afriyie Barnie could have put Ghana ahead four minutes later but his connection to a pass from Augustine Randolph on the right was not good enough to beat goalkeeper Francisco Texiera
Another defence splitting pass from Augustine Randolph on the 10th minute meant for Abdul Razak Yusif was beautifully intercepted by a defender of Mozambique.
The Black Meteors despite dominating possession failed to utilise their chances after a quarter of an hour as the few fans in the stadium urged them on.
As they pressed for the opener, the defence of the visitors gifted the ball to Sylvester Simba who raced into the vital area but his point blank shot was saved by Goalkeeper Francisco.
Simba would however make amends on the stroke of half time when he put the ball beyond the goalkeeper after receiving a pass from Augustine Randolph.
Eight minutes after the break, Simba again won a penalty for the Meteors when he was brought down in the penalty box after he skilfully outwitted the last man.
Barnie expertly converted to put qualification far beyond the visitors who at that point had not showed any sign of scoring even a consolation goal.
The skipper missed a great opportunity to score his second of the afternoon on the 70th minute when he rounded the goalkeeper but failed to direct the ball into the yawning net.
The visitors managed to find the back of the net with two minutes to end proceedings through Danilo Batista, but the goal was ruled offside by Referee Bakary Papa Gassama, summing up the fate of the Mozambicans.
GNA