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2021 afcon qualifiers: Stars nail Bafana Bafana

2021 AFCON qualifiers: Stars nail Bafana Bafana

Ghana’s senior team, the Black Stars, got their campaign to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to a winning start beating South Africa 2-0 in their opening Group C game at the Cape Coast Stadium yesterday.

A goal in each half from Thomas Partey (35th minute) and debutant Mohammed Kudus (80th minute) helped the Stars to a comfortable win as they began the search for one of 23 tickets for the 2021AFCON slated for Cameroun.

Day for debutants

With as many as seven debutants called up and hit by injuries, Coach James Kwasi Appiah had to find a fine blend of both the new and experienced players for his starting line-up and handed debut roles to Idrissu Baba, Gideon Mensah and Kudus Mohammed who came on as a substitute.

Goals

Playing a competitive game for the first time since their disappointing Round of 16 exit from the 2019 AFCON, the Stars started on a high note in a bid to get a goal and got the result on the 35th minute when Partey’s unsuspecting low grounder deflected off a South African defender to put Ghana ahead.

Substitute Kudus, just 19 years old, put the icing on the cake to ensure his debut began on a memorable note when he struck in the 83rd minute to double Ghana's lead.

The result looks flattery but the South Africans were not that easy to conquer, particularly in the second half when they came in strongly in a bid to equaliser.
However, the Stars defence were resolute and thwarted their efforts.

Attendance and Drama

Responding to the campaign to get fans to support the Stars, the fans turned up in their numbers to fill the stands and they were unrelenting in their support, cheering the team on through the entire 90 minutes.

However, an over-enthusiastic fan who from nowhere got on to the pitch and started racing across the pitch, momentarily put the game on hold, but the security men quickly apprehended him and soon the game continued.

The stakes

The result leaves Ghana in second place behind Sudan in the group standings after the Sudanese beat Sao Tome and Principe 4-0 in the other Group C game.

Both Ghana and Sudan have three points, but the East Africans lead with more goals. South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe are both without a point.

The stakes will be up when the second group matches are honoured on Monday; the Stars travelling to play Sao Tome and Principe while South Africa return to Johannesburg to welcome Sudan.

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