The Black Princesses of Ghana commenced their journey at the 2023 African Games with a triumphant start, clinching a victory against Ethiopia on Saturday evening.
Securing the solitary goal of the match at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Comfort Owusu propelled Ghana to the summit of Group A.
Yusif Basigi, who is the head coach of the side fielded a formidable starting lineup, featuring the Black Queens’ duo Maafia Nyame and Comfort Yeboah, alongside Mukarama Abdulai spearheading the attack.
Initially facing a resilient defensive stance from Ethiopia, Ghana encountered difficulties in penetrating their opponent’s defense during the early stages of the game.
Although Maafia Nyame had an opportunity to put the Princesses in the lead, her delicate chip over the goalkeeper narrowly missed the target.
The first half witnessed an interruption due to a power outage twice, halting the game for approximately 10 minutes, and leaving both teams deadlocked at halftime.
Following the break, Basigi introduced Ophelia Serwaa Amponsah, replacing Maafia Nyame. Amponsah’s impact was immediate, nearly setting up Comfort Owusu for the opening goal.
In the 59th minute, Comfort Owusu capitalized on a defensive lapse from the Ethiopians, converting a rebound from Beline Nyarko’s initial shot to break the deadlock.
Despite Mukarama Abdulai’s late attempt to hit the post, Ghana maintained their advantage until the end, despite being reduced to 10 players after Abiba Issah received her second yellow card.
The Princesses held firm to secure a valuable three points, propelling them to the top of the group standings, following a 1-1 draw between Tanzania and Uganda earlier in the day.
Ghana’s next challenge awaits them against Tanzania on Tuesday, March 12.