Ghana continued an impressive run in the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games qualifying campaign in a record-breaking style by beating rivals, Nigeria at home for the first time.
The win over the African Champions sends Ghana top of the standings with a hundred percent record after two rounds of matches in the women’s competition played at the El-Wak stadium.
Victory was even made sweeter as Ghana, who before the game held the record as the only nation on the continent to have beaten the Nigerians posted their second win with a 1-0 victory, this time on home soil.
As the El-Wak stadium, the match venue re-opened for international football after two years of construction works, it was the Black Queens who won the plaudits for a good job done as the scorecards read after 90 minutes of action.
Three years ago, the Super Falcons stunned the Black Queens in front of their home fans in their last trip to Accra on the infamous Valentines Day match.
However, Ghana this time round ensured they re-wrote the scripts of the historic feat chalked over Nigeria in 2002 when the Black Queens registered their first win over their West African rivals.
An own goal courtesy an under pressure Nigerian defender helped the Black Queens break new grounds.
It was an entertaining match, with Ghana playing some thrilling football and dominating spells of the game, despite a much improved play by the Nigerians in the second half of the game.
In a whirlwind opening session, Ghana took a control of the possession and deserved to have even taken the lead before the 15th minute as near misses by the Black Queens frontline denied the host team an early lead.
Ghana piled the pressure and could have gone ahead but a well drilled shot from edge of the Nigerian box by former African player of the year, Adwoa Bayor missed goal.
However, a couple of minutes later, the scorecards changed in Ghana’s favour.
A hard pressed defender miscued her back pass header from a Florence Okoe cross beyond the reach of the on rushing goalkeeper, Precious Dede in the 22nd minute of the first half to give Ghana the lead.
The Nigerians nearly secured parity in the closing stages of the half but Ghana goalkeeper, Memunatu Suleimana, made a good save from a long range effort to keep out the Super Falcons as the Black Queens held onto the solitary lead to end the half.
The second half kicked off with the Nigerians pushing for the equalizer but Ghana’s defence held on thwarting all the efforts of the Nigerians.
Ghana’s bench made their first substitution of the game in the second half, pulling out captain Adwoa Bayor for Berlinda Kanda.
The tempo of the game appeared to have slowed down just after ten minutes of the half as both sides relied on long balls.
Anita Amankwah and Lydia Ankrah both came close to making it 2-0 for Ghana but both players failed to convert.
As the minutes ticked, the Nigerians threatened for the equaliser but Ghana’s goalkeeper, Memunatu Suleimana stood strong and tall in post to blank all their efforts.
Ghana started the qualifying campaign with a 3-1 away win over Ethiopia in Addis Ababa and now top the standings with six points.
Africa has a single Olympic Games ticket in the women’s football competition as the top placed team at the end of the qualifying rounds secures the automatic spot for next year’s Beijing Games with the second placed team engaging Brazil in the play-off.
Ghana is seeking to make her debut in the women’s football competition at next year’s Olympic Games.
Ghana line up: Memunatu Suleimana, Hamdia Abass, Mavis Danso, Patricia Ofori, Aminatu Alhassan, Lydia Ankrah, Gloria Oforiwaa, Adjoa Bayor/Berlinda Kanda, Anita Amankwah, Florence Okoe, Anita Amenuku
Unused subs: Sheila Okine, Yaa Arvoe, Doreen Awuah, Memunatu Darko, Fati Mohammed, Tahiru Aminatu