Ghana U20 draw 0-0 with Gabon

Ghana’s U20 team failed to make their chances count as they were held to goalless draw game by Gabon in the first leg of the ultimate 2015 African Youth Championships qualifier in Accra.

The Black Satellites in the end desperately lacked the cutting edge required to put away most of the chances they created especially in the first half.


Both sides showed serious intent to score with two corner kicks going either ways within the first four minutes.


The Black Satellites were presented with a good chance after Samuel Tetteh cut back from the flanks to lay the ball on the plate for the on-rushing Prosper Kasim.


The Inter Allies man's shot however lacked the needed punch to beat goalkeeper Menene Mekosso.


Samuel Tetteh who had been lively on the right flank was unlucky to have hit the side-netting after skillfully scaling his man in the 12th minute.

Gabon got a sniff at goal after 27 minutes when Obiang Junior struck one from deep but didn’t trouble goalkeeper Mutawakilu Seidu in the Ghana post.


Samuel Afful was presented with the game’s best chance a minute later but the Hasaacas forward’s chest control was too heavy as the ball veered away from him into the waiting arms of goalkeeper Menene before he could make the vital touch.


Captain Owusu Bempah then followed up with a free kick moments later but his shot was always rising.


Thomas Agyepong then rattled the cross bar off a sweetly hit free kick in the 32nd minute.


Lessa Locko’s intended cross seven minutes later almost caught goalkeeper Mutawakilu Seidu off-guard but the Asante Kotoko youngster was alert to punch clear.

Locko returned two minutes later to threaten the Ghanaian defense two minutes later as he was allowed to run into the box and take a shot but again Seidu was alert to thwart the effort.


Ghana had the final say in the first half as Owusu Bempah’s goal-bound free kick was parried away and gathered on the second attempt by Menene.


The Black Satellites should have taken the lead at the restart after Prosper Kasim was played clean through on-goal.


Indecision on the part of the striker however saw him chip the ball wide before the on-rushing Menene.


Substitute Kennedy Boateng came close to scoring in the 54th minute but his rebounded strike lacked the power and direction to trouble the Gabon defence.

Eric Kumi who has come on for Thomas Agyepong could have done better with his half volley in the 62nd minute. His shot went disappointingly high and wide.


Yaw Yeboah then picked the wrong pass after he surprisingly found himself in some space within the edge of the Gabonese penalty box.


His intended cut-back could only find an opponent much to the dismay of the expectant home fans.


The Gabon players didn’t miss any opportunity to chew away precious seconds off the clock as they stayed on the turf whenever they were engaged in a tackle.’


Eric Kumi then failed to hit the target with a drive off his chest just outside the Gabon penalty area.

The Ghanaian fans were increasingly getting anxious with 10 minutes left to play.


The desperate Black Satellites however struggled to create any clear cut opportunities with most of their vital passes going astray.


Sellas Tetteh must now pick his team up from thus disappointing result ahead of the return encounter in a fortnight expected to be played in Libreville.