Meteors fail to strike gold in Accra

The national Olympic soccer team, the Black Meteors, will head into the second-leg of their 2015 CAF U-23 Championship qualifiers with a slender advantage following a 1-0 victory over their Congolese counterparts last Saturday at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The highlight of an uninspiring Meteors performance came in the 44th minute when midfielder Kennedy Ashia seized a loose ball and located Port Vale winger, Enoch Ebo Andoh, who scored the only goal of the tie with a fierce drive into the top right corner of the Congolese goal.

Before that goal, Malik Jabir's side lacked co-ordination and were unable to thrill the sparse crowd that braved a rainy afternoon to watch the game.

Errant passing and wayward shooting were their lot leaving the Congolese goalie, Christoffer Mafoumbi on holiday before he conceded that goal.

Congo also had chances to score in their occasional counter-attacking forays but were let down by poor finishing and on one such occasion in the 12th minute striker Makiesse Junior saw his shot going straight into the hands of  Meteors goalie Richard Ofori..

The Meteors made a better start to the second-half and almost scored another goal when winger Patrick Razak made a lung-bursting run from the half-way line only to see Congolese defender, Vasil Rozan deflect his cross over the bar.

The Congolese coached by former Black Stars coach, Claude Le Roy, enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the second half but failed to trouble the impressive Wa All Stars goalkeeper, Ofori who started ahead of Eric Ofori Antwi.  

The Meteors were unlucky not to score another goal in the 89th minute when substitute Dauda Mohammed who came on for the ineffective Bright Adjei, exchanged passes with Conney Idan before his shot clattered the post.

Malik Jabir's side must now avoid defeat when they travel to play Congo on Sunday in the second-leg at the Stade Municipal, Pointe-Noire in order to progress to the final qualifying round and a date with Nigeria's Dream Team.

Line-ups

Ghana : Richard Ofori – Emmanuel Nti Mensah, Amos Acheampong, Lawrence Lartey, Baba Mensah, Courage Pekuson, Razak Patrick/85’ Idan Conney, Sadiq Alhassan, Kennedy Ashia, Ebo Andoh/80’ Ibrahim Moro, Bright Adjei/73’ Dauda Mohammed

Congo: Christoffer Mafoumbi, Sagesse Babélé, Romaric Etou, Rozan Varel, Avounou Durel, Bersyl Obassi Ngatsongo, Merveille Ndockyt, Mavis Tchibota/66’ Sylvère Ganvoula, Moïse Nkounkou, Junior Makiesse Mouzita, Phitzgérald Mbaka/71’ Julssy Boukama-Kaya.