Black Meteors qualify for All Africa Games after beating Nigeria

Ghana’s Black Meteors on Sunday beat Nigeria’s Dream 5 by two goals to nil at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi to qualify for the All Africa Games in Mozambique in September 2011.

The two goals came from Emmanuel Agyeman Badu in the 11th minute and Richard Mpong in the 70th minute to enable the Meteors to qualify on the away-goal-rule, having lost 1-3 in the first leg match played in Nigeria a fortnight ago.

The Black Meteors played their hearts out knowing very well that their pride was at stake.

With Samuel Inkoom playing his usual roving role and Agyeman Badu, Dominic Adiyia and Mpong leading the attack, the Nigerians, who descended on the field hoping to maintain their lead and thus qualify, could not withstand the pressure.

It was the Nigerians, who first carried the battle to their Ghanaian counterparts when their striker Otubanjo Yusuf sent in a powerful drive that sailed over the bar in the second minute of the game.

Sensing danger Meteors counter-attacked and in one of their forays earned a free-kick, which Agyeman Badu elected himself to take. His shot from 20 metres went straight into the net leaving Goalkeeper Afeloklai Theophilus stranded.

The Meteors threw everything into the game in search of the elixir of life but all the chances that came their way were wasted.

In the 44th minute Mpong received the yellow card for rough play to end the first half.

The Nigerians resumed the second session strongly and nearly leveled up in the 50th minute but Otubanjo’s low drive was perfectly saved by Daniel Adjei in Meteors’ goal.

The Meteors quickly turned the tables and had a chance to increase the score in the 63rd minute but substitute Ben Acheampong fumbled.

Determined to carry the day and qualify at all cost at the expense of their arch rivals, Adiyia in a move gave a cross to Mpong, who sent a thunderbolt of a shot into the Nigerian net to set the stadium agog.

Source: GNA