HOSTS Morocco booked their place in a second successive Girls’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) last after edging Ghana 4-2 on penalties in a tense semi-final conflict that ended 1-1 after additional time in Rabat on Tuesday evening.
The Atlas Lionesses held their nerve from the spot, with objectivekeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi making an important save and two Ghanaian gamers lacking, to seal a spot in Saturday’s last in opposition to Nigeria.
The defeat means Ghana should now battle South Africa in Friday’s third-place playoff.
In a fiercely contested match at Stade Moulay Abdellah, it was Ghana who struck first via Stella Nyamekye within the twenty sixth minute.
The midfielder headed an extended cross into the field by Consolation Yeboah previous Er-Rmichi to provide the Black Queens a deserved lead.
The objective capped a vibrant begin for Kim Björkegren’s facet, who seemed extra composed and energetic within the opening half, creating a number of harmful possibilities via Doris Boaduwaa, Princess Marfo and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah.
Morocco, nonetheless, responded with elevated urgency after the break.
The house crowd roared them on and their efforts have been rewarded within the fifty fifth minute when Sakina Ouzraoui Diki bundled the ball into the web from shut vary after sustained stress and a deflected effort from Ibtissam Jraïdi.
The equaliser energised the Atlas Lionesses who started to dominate possession, however Ghana remained harmful on the counter, with Princella Adubea and Alice Kusi coming shut late within the recreation.
Each side had possibilities to win it in regular time, however neither may discover a breakthrough.
Further time provided extra drama as fatigue set in.
Accidents compelled a number of substitutions, with Morocco’s Fatima Tagnaout and Ghana’s Princella Adubea needing therapy.
Ghana’s Evelyn Badu missed a wonderful probability within the one hundredth minute, heading broad from shut vary, whereas Alozie’s speculative long-range effort within the last minutes went simply over the bar.
With the impasse unresolved after 120 minutes, penalties have been required to separate the 2 African powerhouses.
Morocco’s nerve held agency. Hanane Aït El Haj, Ibtissam Jraïdi, Kenza Chapelle, and Anissa Lahmari transformed their spot-kicks, whereas Ghana missed twice—Evelyn Badu firing broad and Consolation Yeboah seeing her effort saved by Er-Rmichi.
The ultimate whistle triggered wild celebrations among the many Moroccan gamers and followers as Jorge Vilda’s workforce reached the ultimate for the second match working.
It’s a outcome that continues Morocco’s dream of lifting their first-ever WAFCON title on house soil.
Ghana, in the meantime, might be left to rue their missed alternatives, however they nonetheless have an opportunity to finish the match with a medal after they tackle South Africa for third place tomorrow.
–CAFonline.com
