Ghana’s semi-final loss to Egypt at the CAF U-20 Championships was anything but surprising.
If you have seen any of Ghana’s matches in the group stage, this was more of the same.
The defense looked uncoordinated and without a leader.
The irony of that is, that Ofori McCarthy, the team’s captain, was the man whose conduct on two occasions, raised serious questions about the lack of leadership at the back, and ultimately gave away two soft goals to Egypt.
His teammate, Aaron Essel was the other part of tonight’s Bonnie and Clyde who robbed Ghana to pay Egypt.
He would ultimately get sent off after fouling an opponent on the counter break.
It was bizarre because Egypt did not look cohesive either. Yet, each time they attacked, often with an over-hit pass, a miss-timed dribble, or sheer perseverance to chase a combination of both, Ghana’s defense looked out of sorts.
When Ghana had the ball, there appeared to be a chasm between the midfield and the attack.
From deep in Ghana’s half, Aaron Essel and McCarthy resorted to sending hopeful long balls into wide areas, inviting Abdul Azziz Issah and Lord Afrifa to chase.
Lord Afrifa seems to have won the upper-hand in this contest for the ball
Before long, the pair gave up on the tactic and started dropping deep into Ghana’s half, to receive the ball.
On a few occasions, Azziz looked to the bench, possibly for guidance on how to find a way past possibly the least compact Egyptian team in history.
Yet, whatever instructions came from the bench did not reflect any significant changes in approach.
Ghana’s first attempt on goal was registered in the 35th minute when Abdul Azziz Issah skied a free kick from half a world away.
If the free kick was bad, the reaction that followed summed up Ghana’s performance.
Before sending his effort into no man’s land, Issah tried to pass information to his teammates Jerry Afriyie and Lord Afrifa.
Whatever it was, the CD Lugo striker could did not adhere. In the end, Issah sent his effort into outer space before confronting his teammate.
In the simplest of words, Ghana looked badly coached, just as they looked against D.R. Congo and Senegal.
Substitute Abdul Sulemana with a marauding run into the Egyptian box
Yet, for all of Ghana’s tactical incompetence, Azziz Issah produced a moment of magic to hand Ghana a lifeline in first-half stoppage time.
After receiving the ball in the half-space, Azziz chose to go solo as he had done on so many occasions.
He kept shifting to his left, avoiding a forest of red shirts before unleashing a thunderbolt that stung the palms of Egypt goalkeeper Moniem. Perhaps the keeper could have done better but Azziz deserves credit for buying the ticket to the lottery.
The second half was the reaction of a team clutching at straws to avoid drowning; more fight, commitment, and spirit.
In the end, Abdul Sulemana converted a stoppage-time penalty to force extra time.
Question marks remain about how, giving Ghana a deadline, Sulemana was not selected among Ghana’s first five takers during the shootout.
But they pale in comparison to the questions he will face from the Ghana Football Association.
For a manager who was appointed in September 2023, he has had more than enough time to coach this team to play in a more recognizable and tactically sound manner than the dross they served in the past week.
There are no indications that his job is on the line. He deserves time.
For his own sake, however, Offei needs to realize that whatever credit he had in the bank before this tournament has been eroded by a week’s work.
He leaves Egypt with more doubts than he has ever had.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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