The Black Meteors’ dream of returning to the Olympic Games took a jolt on Friday after the team lost 6-5 on penalties to South Africa in the 3rd place play-off of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Marquee player Evans Mensah lived up to the hype at the Cairo International Stadium as he brought Ghana into contention of qualification with a goal and an assist to force a 2-2 draw with the Bafana Bafana in full regulation time.
The game, as is the regulation, went straight to penalty shoot-outs.
The Black Meteors, however, missed the opportunity to win the shootouts after getting advantage twice.
South Africa’s captain Repo Malepe missed the very first kick but Kingsley Fobi missed Ghana’s third to keep the South Africans back in it.
They again missed the very first of the sudden death but Ghana’s Edward Sarpong, after appearing to have kept his composure, kicked his ball far off target.
South African goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto gave his side the needed fillip as he kept Emmanuel Cudjoe’s kick from going into his net.
By the win, South Africa pick the final automatic slot for Tokyo 2020 men’s soccer.
They join Egypt and Cote d’Ivoire as the automatic qualifiers.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana