Ghana Black Satellites on Saturday gingered their country 64th Independent Day Celebration by defeating Uganda 2-0 to lift the 2021 Total Africa Nations Cup in Mauritania.
The Black Satellites delivered the ultimate price conquering other Africa countries t0 be crownedd champions in the final of the AFCON 2021 in Nouakchott.
Skipper Daniel Afriyie led from the front, and had a military salute dance to celebrate on each occasion, as Ghana clinched the fourth Under-20 continental title, and a first since their last conquest in 2009.
The Black Satellites replicated the same score-line the two countries posted when they last met in a continental final, this being in the 1978 senior Cup of Nations.
By design or coincidence, it was also another Afriyie, this time Opoku, who scored twice for the senior Ghanaians.
Ghana went to the break a goal to the good, and deservedly so after coming off an early scare to score through Afriyie. Uganda were faster off the blocks and should have scored after three minutes when a long ball caught the run of Derrick Kakooza, but his lob over the keeper went over.
Almost immediately, Uganda had another chance with Isma Muguusi’s grass cutter going wide.
But after dodging the bullet twice, the Ghanaians woke from their slumber.
They had the bar denying them twice in succession off an Abdul Fatawu Issahaku corner. First, Percious Boah’s connection came off the bar and from the rebound, Nathaniel Adjei also sent a shot across the bar.
The Ugandans ultimately faltered on a setpiece, Afriyie sneaking in at the near post to flick in a header off Fatawu’s corner.
It was just the goal they needed as they played with more confidence and Uganda looked stunned as they panicked on the ball and for some moments, forgot their ball playing nature.
Ghana took the opportunity to pin them on their backs and they had another go at goal in the 31st minute but Patrick Mensah’s low shot from 20 yards out was well saved by the keeper.
The Black Satellites needed just five minutes into the second half to dent any Ugandan hopes of a comeback, Afriyie completing his brace.