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Skipper Daniel Afriyie scored twice in each half to hand the Black Satellites a 2-0 victory against Uganda in the final of the Total U-20 African Cup of Nations in Mauritania.

Uganda started the game on the front foot and should have taken the lead in the 3rd minute, a long ball from midfield found Derrick Kakooza in the 18-yard-box, but he blasted the ball over the bar.

The Black Satellites grew into the game and struck the post twice through Philemon Baffour and Emmanuel Essiam in the 11th minute.

Ghana continued to mount pressure on Uganda and finally broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, Daniel Afriyie flicked a corner past the goalkeeper at his near post.

The remaining minutes of the first half was evenly contested as Ghana went into the recess a goal up.

Stakes were high for the second half, Uganda increased the tempo of the game at the start of the half hoping to grab the leveler, but it was the Black Satellites who doubled their lead in the 51st minute, Daniel Afriyie finished off a beautiful counter attack to make it 2-0.

Uganda made some changes in attack hoping to get back into the game, Samuel Ssenyonjo and Ivan Bogere were brought on for Ivan Asaba and Richard Basangwa, but the Black Satellites stayed calm to see the game off and in the process win their 4th AFCON trophy at U-20 level.

Watch highlights of the game below:

By Shaibu Mahama

Ghana midfielder Issahaku Abdul Fatawu was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the just concluded 2021 CAF U-20 Cup of Nations staged in Mauritania.

The 16-year-old midfielder was voted as the tournament’s poster boy with his cultured left foot, soccer IQ and dexterity.

Fatawu, who plays for Tamale-based lower division side SteadFast FC, scored two goals in the tournament to help Ghana win a fourth title.

He gained global attention when he scored a Puskas Award contender in Ghana’s 4-0 win over Tanzania in their opener.

By Nuhu Adams

Ghana duo Danlad Ibrahim and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku were named in the 2021 CAF U20 Cup of Nations Best XI.

Ibrahim, the goalkeeper, was at his imperious best as the Black Satellites brushed aside Uganda in the final with a 2-0 win.

Issahaku was named the best player of the tournament after eye-catching performances.

He scored two goals in the tournament including a Puskas Award contender in the 4-0 win over Tanzania.

The 16-year-old was chosen by the Technical Study Group as part of the attacking trident which also had Uganda’s Derrick Kakooza and Joffrey Bazie of Burkina Faso.

Ghana has the highest number of players in the overall best XI alongside silver medalists Uganda who produced Aziz Kayondo and Derrick Kakooza.

The backline included Flory Yangao (Central African Republic), Blondon Meyapya (Cameroon) and Jawra Lamin (Gambia

The midfield comprised of El Mehdi El Moubarik (Morocco), Lamarana Jallow (Gambia) and Chibeb Labidi (Tunisia).

2021 CAF U20 Cup of Nations Best XI2021 CAF U20 Cup of Nations Best XI

Danlad Ibrahim (Ghana)

Flory Yangao (Central African Republic)

Blondon Meyapya (Cameroon)

Jawra Lamin (Gambia )

Aziz Kayondo (Uganda)

El Mehdi El Moubarik (Morocco)

Lamarana Jallow (Gambia)

Chibeb Labidi (Tunisia )

Abdul Fatawu I. (Ghana)

Derrick Kakooza  (Uganda)

Joffrey Bazie ( Burkina Faso)

Black Satellites and Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim has won the 2021 Total Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) golden glove award.

The Asante Kotoko shot-stopper was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the competition after keeping four clean sheets and conceding just three goals.

Danlad played an integral role as Karim Zito’s brushed off competition to clinch their 4th U-20 AFCON trophy and a first since 2009.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s Abdul Fatawu Ishahaku was also named the Player of the tournament.

Percious Boah on the other hand missed out on the top scorer accolade to Uganda’s Derick Kakooza who netted five times for his side.

By Duah Michael

On the day that their country was celebrating the 64th Independence Day, Ghana’s Black Satellites delivered the ultimate gift, wrapped up in the form of the Total Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after a 2-0 win over debutants Uganda in the final in Nouakchott on Saturday.

Skipper Daniel Afriyie led from the front, and had a military salute dance to celebrate on each occasion, as Ghana clinched the fourth Under-20 continental title, and a first since their last conquest in 2009.

The Black Satellites replicated the same score-line the two countries posted when they last met in a continental final, this being in the 1978 senior Cup of Nations. By design or coincidence, it was also another Afriyie, this time Opoku, who scored twice for the senior Ghanaians.

-Ghana leading at halftime

Ghana went to the break a goal to the good, and deservedly so after coming off an early scare to score through Afriyie. Uganda were faster off the blocks and should have scored after three minutes when a long ball caught the run of Derrick Kakooza, but his lob over the keeper went over.

Almost immediately, Uganda had another chance with Isma Muguusi’s grass cutter going wide.

But after dodging the bullet twice, the Ghanaians woke from their slumber.

They had the bar denying them twice in succession off an Abdul Fatawu Issahaku corner. First, Percious Boah’s connection came off the bar and from the rebound, Nathaniel Adjei also sent a shot across the bar.

The Ugandans were jittery in defending set pieces and the Ghana side constantly sought out corners but couldn’t stretch the lead further. Fatawu tried to open up the deadlock with a well taken freekick from distance, but Jack Komakech had it covered.

The Ugandans ultimately faltered on a setpiece, Afriyie sneaking in at the near post to flick in a header off Fatawu’s corner.

It was just the goal they needed as they played with more confidence and Uganda looked stunned as they panicked on the ball and for some moments, forgot their ball playing nature.

Ghana took the opportunity to pin them on their backs and they had another go at goal in the 31st minute but Patrick Mensah’s low shot from 20 yards out was well saved by the keeper.

The Black Satellites needed just five minutes into the second half to dent any Ugandan hopes of a comeback, Afriyie completing his brace.

-Sserwada dispossessed

Fatawu pinched the ball off Steven Sserwadda in midfield before playing Boah out wide, the striker cutting back a cross into the box which his captain delightfully tapped into an empty net.

Four minutes on the turn, Sserwadda had an opportunity to atone for his error when Mugulusi’s cross from the right found him unmarked inside the box, but he hooked his header over the bar.

Uganda coach Morley Byekwaso went for a change in formation, Ivan Bogere and Samuel Senyonjo coming on for the off color Richard Basangwa and Ivan Asaba. With the change, Senyonjo joined Kakooza upfront for a twin-striking option.

Bogere was lively after coming on and he should have had a goal to his name in the 70th minute when the ball graciously landed on him inside the box, but his shot on the turn was too week, keeper Danlad Ibrahim collecting with ease.

Uganda kept the hunt for the two goals, but couldn’t crack to score with Ghana seeing out the result for a jubilant end to a happy Independence Day.

©Cafonline

Ghana coach Abdul Karim Zito has maintained his starting line-up to face Uganda in the final of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations being staged in Mauritania.

Coach Zito stuck to the same team that beat Gambia by a lone goal in the semi-finals game played on Monday.

Captain Afriyie Barnieh is once again expected to start on he right side of attack for the Black Satellites with Mohammed Sulemana on the left.

Percious Boah who is gunning for the top scorer of the competition, will start upfront for Ghana in today’s match against the Hippos of Uganda.

The quartet in defense has also been retained with Ibrahim Danlad in post.

Fatawu Issahaku and Emmanuel Essiam will form the central defensive pair for this evening’s game.

The game will kickoff at 20:00 GMT.

Below is Ghana XI for today’s final match:

By Shaibu Mahama

The Black Satellites will have only one mission on their minds when they walk out of the dressing room of the Stade Olympique de Nouakchott on Saturday March 6, 2021, to conquer Africa once again.

Coach Abdul Karim Zito have set for themselves the target of beating Uganda to lift the 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations on the day Ghana is celebrating its 64^th Independence anniversary.

It’s been twelve years since Ghana lifted the Africa title and the current generation insist that Saturday’s final offers them the perfect opportunity to add their names to the history of the country when it comes to this competition.

Having qualified to the competition after winning the WAFU ‘B’ qualification tournament in Benin, Ghana began its campaign on a positive note with a 4-0 win over Tanzania before being held to a goalless draw in the second game against Benin.

The National U20 team were however stunned by Gambia in the final group game which Ghana lost 1-2 at the Stade de Nouadhibou it played its Group matches.

That defeat served as an awakening call for the team as they qualified only as one of the best third-placed teams to the quarter finals and defied all odds to defeat Group A Cameroon 4-2 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 at extra time.

Coach Zito’s side went on to avenge the defeat they suffered to the Gambians and pipped them by a lone goal to sail through to the finals against a Ugandan side which has also been resilient throughout the competition.

The Ugandans finished second in Group A with victories over tournament hosts Mauritania and Mozambique and a defeat to Cameroon.

The Hippos also beat Burkina Faso in the quarter finals via penalty shoot outs before their 4-1 emphatic win over Tunisia in the semis.

Though the Ugandans are debutants at this competition, Coach Zito says his side will come into the game well prepared and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Ghana wins the tournament.

“For Uganda to beat Tunisia 4-1 shows that they cannot be taken for granted. We are coming into the game with all seriousness. No one came into this tournament due to their previous records or name of their country. We all made it to this stage of the competition on merit. Their game against Tunisia has given us heads up to come into the final match fully prepared”, the Black Satellites head coach stated during the pre-match press conference.

For Coach Zito, there no longer minnows in African football considering the invested countries are making in football development across the country.

Nonetheless the head coach says his team is not under pressure going into the final match, adding that the team is fully on course in achieving its objectives.

“The pressure was to make it into the last four even though we know the World Cup won’t be staged this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have achieved one of our objectives so it takes some of the pressure off us.

“Once there’s something to play for as in the trophy, it is the motivating factor for us. Am not underrating the Ugandans but we are not under pressure going into the game”, Coach Zito insisted.

Rather, the Black Satellites have placed on themselves the responsibility to deliver the trophy as a gift on Ghana’s Independence Day.

Speaking ahead of the game Coach Zito reiterated the team’s desire to achieve this feat on the such a special day for all Ghanaians.

“We are keen to winning this trophy because the match will be played on Ghana Independence day. We are privileged to represent our nation here and in thanking our country we have to win this trophy and present to our President Nana  Akufo-Addo.

“He sent us to represent the country and it’s a must to win tomorrow to show him that we have achieved the task he gave us.

Midfielder Emmanuel Agyeman Badu who was also at the press conference also echoed the comments of Coach Zito and added that the team is determined to write their names in the history of the Ghana and in this competition.

“We know that the likes of Dede Ayew made history for Ghana, but we are not relying on that. It is time for us in the current team to also write our names in the history of Ghana”.

“We are here for the ultimate and the greatest motivation is that we are playing on the day that Ghana is celebrating its independence. The attitude and motivation we come into the game with is very different because we want to win it for our motherland”, the wing-attacker asserted.

Ghana forward Percious Boah is hoping to add to his three goal tally to beat Uganda’s Derrick Kakooza to the goalden boot. The Hippos striker is currently on five goals after scoring three against Tunisia.

Goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim is however well on course to win the goalkeeper of the tournament having conceded three goals with his impressive saves throughout the competition.

Referee for the match is Abdelaziz Bouh from Mauritania with his compatriot Hamedine Diba as Assistant Referee I and Abbes Akram Zerhouni from Algeria as Assistant Referee II.

Ngwa Blaise Yuven from Cameroon is the Fourth Official) and Chedad from Mauritania Assistant Referee III/VAR.Wajdi Aouadi from Tunisia will serve as the match Commissioner.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 8:00pm GMT.