The Black Starlets have been left to rue a dramatic second-half collapse after throwing away a commanding two-goal advantage to settle for a 2-2 draw against Algeria in their opening Group D match at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Thursday.
The match was played at the Mohammed VI Football Academy and Ghana could not have asked for a better start to the tournament.
Gavi Yao capitalised on an error from the Algerian goalkeeper to open the scoring in the third minute, with Eric Gyamfi doubling the advantage in the 10th minute with a composed long-range chip that left the opposition goalkeeper stranded, sending Ghana into the break with a commanding 2-0 lead.
Gyamfi’s goal in particular drew widespread admiration from the Confederation of African Football, which celebrated his remarkable vision, marvelling at how he surveyed the entire pitch before unleashing his audacious strike.
He was later named Man of the Match.
However, the second half painted a completely different picture.
Algeria responded with urgency and were rewarded in the 57th minute when Adam Benali finished off a well-worked move, before Melwane Zaidi struck just three minutes later to restore parity at 2-2.
The drama intensified further when Algeria were awarded a penalty after a VAR review, threatening to complete a stunning comeback.
However, Ilyas Grini fired his effort over the crossbar, allowing Prosper Narteh Ogum’s side to hold on for a point.
The result leaves South Africa at the top of Group D following their victory over Senegal in the other group fixture.
Both Ghana and Algeria are level on one point each.
Ghana secured qualification to the tournament after an impressive WAFU B campaign under coach Prosper Narteh Ogum, reaching the final before narrowly losing to Ivory Coast on penalties.
The Black Starlets return to the continental stage with a proud history in youth football, having previously won the tournament in 1995 and 1999.
Group D is considered one of the toughest at the tournament, with Senegal and South Africa also competing for qualification to the knockout stage and the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The Starlets now face a must-win clash against Senegal on Sunday, May 17, as they bid to revive their campaign and keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.