Ghana suffer heavy 5-1 defeat as Morocco dominate key clash at U-23 AFCON

Black Meteors of Ghana faced a crushing defeat at the hands of a brilliant Atlas Lions, young Moroccan side, as the host secured a convincing 5-1 victory to secure their place in the semi-finals of the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.

Having narrowly won their opening match against Congo, Ghana entered the game with hopes of building on their previous success. However, they encountered a completely transformed Moroccan team that displayed exceptional skills and controlled the match comfortably at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

Morocco wasted no time asserting their dominance, taking an early 2-0 lead within the first 10 minutes through goals from Amir Richardson and Ismael Saibari.

The host nation’s outstanding performance continued, and they extended their lead to 3-0 in the 30th minute with a superb goal from Yanis Begraoui, leaving the Ghanaian defense bewildered and the local fans thrilled.

Ghana managed to pull one back through Salim Adams in the 43rd minute, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Fatawu Issahaku’s brilliant shot found the net just before halftime, only for the goal to be disallowed due to the ball going out of play in the build-up.

The controversial decision visibly demoralised the Ghanaian team, and their spirits were further dampened as Morocco scored two quick goals in the early stages of the second half. Captain Abde and Begraoui each found the back of the net, securing a commanding 5-1 lead for Morocco.

Although Morocco thought they had scored a sixth goal in added time, it was disallowed. Meanwhile, Ghana made some promising offensive plays, forcing saves from Morocca goalkeeper Alaa Bellaarouch.

The heavy defeat leaves Ghana in a precarious position in the tournament. In order to progress to the next round and keep their Olympic Games hopes alive, they must win their final group stage match against Guinea. Guinea, who defeated Congo earlier in the day, also have three points and are vying for a spot in the semi-finals.

Ghana will need to regroup and deliver a strong performance in their last group match to avoid an early exit from the U-23 AFCON and maintain their aspirations of qualifying for the Olympic Games.

Ghanasoccernet