Dede Ayew joins Stars’ top scorers

Yesterday's solitary goal against Uganda in the opening Group D game at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), did not only help the Black Stars claim the vital three points, but also helped the scorer, Andre Dede Ayew to join the legends so far as scoring at the AFCON is concerned.

The West Ham United striker, whose famous father, Abedi Pele scored in two Nations Cup tournaments (1992 and 1996), equalled the scoring records by legendary Osei Kofi and Asamoah Gyan as Ghana’s alltime leading goal scorers at the AFCON with seven goals.

In fact, it was the second time Dede Ayew had scored the winning goal in an opening Nations Cup group game, after opening his account for Ghana against Burkina Faso at the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.

And now, the elder of the Ayew brothers in the Stars set up, has scored in each of his last four Nations Cup tournaments – 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017 to take his international tally to 13 goals.

The forward, who scored four goals at the 2015 AFCON in Equatoria Guinea, said he was happy that the goal handed his side the needed win, and the record that came with it was an added bonus.

“You don’t come into such competitions eyeing personal records. For me, it is always the team first, if in helping the team to win, such honours come, then so be it, but I think I would want to build on what we achieved in the opening game to at least replicate what we achieved in 2015,” Dede said.