The senior national team, the Black Stars, began their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a slim victory over Ethiopia on Friday night at the Cape Coast stadium.
Mubarak Wakaso’s stunning first-half goal in the 35th minute proved enough to hand Ghana the maximum 3 points and an opportunity to go top of Group G after the the game between Zimbabwe and South Africa ended in a draw earlier on Friday.
Going into the game, Head Coach Charles Akonnor named a very strong team to face the Walia Ibex with Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Mubarak Wakaso, Daniel Amartey and Baba Abdul Rahman all starting.
Stade Rennes star Kamaldeen Sulemana was also handed his very first competitive start in a Ghana shirt.
Leicester City winger Jeffery Schlupp who has been away from the national team for several months started the game but couldn’t finish after picking up an injury midway through the first half.
Schlupp was replaced by German-born Daniel-Kofi Kyereh who made his national debut.
The game was heavily dominated by Akonnor’s men, but they could not find their creativity upfront as goal scoring opportunity went begging.
Wakaso got the breakthrough for Ghana ten minutes from the break as his powerful shot from outside the box beat Ethiopia goalie Teklemariam Shanko.
Shanko failed to save the strike as the ball passed through his hands and legs to give Akonnor’s side the lead.
A double save by Ethiopia’s substitute goalkeeper Fasil Gebremichael in the 73rd minute prevented Ghana from getting the second of the night after a long shot by Yaw Yeboah and a rebound attempt by skipper Ayew.
The Walia Ibex had their best chance in the game coming in the 84th minute after a shot by Shemeket Gugsa from close range was parried away by goalkeeper Richard Ofori.
Ghana will now travel to South Africa to take on the Bafana Bafana boys at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg while Ethiopia play host to Zimbabwe in the other group encounter on Monday, September 6.
