Ghana ends its African Youth Championship hoodoo, after two successive qualification failures as the Black Satellites secure a place in the next year’s African Under-20 competition.
The Black Satellites completed back-to-back wins over the Gambians on Sunday in the final round of qualifiers to join seven other teams for Rwanda 2009.
With a 2-1 home win from the first leg, the Black Satellites showed sheer determination to complete the double at the Independence Stadium in Banjul with a 1-0 victory, damning the hopes of the expectant home crowd, caught up in football fervor.
Ghana thus qualifies on a 3-1 aggregate scoreline.
And the win sees Ghana mark a return to the African Youth Championship for the first time since 2001.
The Black Satellites had to wait until the 85th minute for Abeiku Quansah to claim the spoils for Ghana when his freekick sailed into the net in an evenly contested game.
Prior to kickoff, the Gambians were in a jubilant mood when they celebrated too early of news that their senior team had picked a place in the next round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup despite news on the contrary hours later.
And they carried their celebrations into Sunday’s match hoping to further have cause to commemorate their official holiday slated for Monday with a win over Ghana.
But after 90 minutes, the Black Satellites rather created another celebratory atmosphere at the Independence Stadium as they left their opponents dead.
Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh was hoping for an improved performance just like his boys put in during the second half of the first leg, and he had that response.
“The first leg result was a respectable scoreline and I trusted them to play like I expected.
“It was a crucial game for us and our approach was perfect. There were tactical changes and it turned the game on.
“I am overjoyed. I can’t believe it. We are back in there and it makes me feel great,” Sellas Tetteh said in a post match interview.
The Black Satellites pushed their host with ten minutes to go.
“We went into the game with a collective aim of winning to secure qualification. There had been much talk back home prior to our departure and we were prepared to put those doubts to rest.
“The spirit within the group was a great one and we gave everything to reach Rwanda. I’m happy to have lead this group to make all that important return to the Championships,” Andre Ayew said after the game.
Wakasu Mubarak drifted to the left flank, took on two markers before he was hacked down to draw a foul for Ghana.
Abeiku Quansah stepped up to take the kick and he swung the ball into the far post with no Gambian player reacting to the ball and a Wakasu Mubarak dummy made the goalkeeper dive in the opposite direction.
The Independence Stadium with small group of Ghanaians was liberated as they burst into jubilation. The goal effectively killed the hopes of the expectant home crowd as Ghana sealed a place in the finals of the Championship.
And for team coach, Sellas Tetteh, it was a wonderful work done by his boys.
“I can only thank them for this achievement. It has really made me proud and I look forward to working with his group to reach the World Cup.”
Ghana line up: Joseph Addo, Samuel Inkoom, Paul Addo, Philip Boampong, Jonathan Mensah, Agyemang Badu, Abeiku Quansah, Rabiu Mohammed/Gladson Awako, Isaac Donkor, Sadick Adams/Abdulai Gafaru, Andre Ayew/Wakasu Mubarak.
Unused Subs: Robert Dabou, Godfred Rockson, Bernard Cofie, Ekow Benson