All Africa Games: Black Princesses win silver medal after losing to Cameroon

Tournament favourites the Black Princesses of Ghana lost by a lone goal to Cameroon in the finals of the football category of the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique.

It was an opportunity for the Princesses to dig gold for Ghana and this could have enhanced the nation’s position on the medal table, but the lone goal defeat could only secure them a silver medal.

Going into the game as the favourites with a clean record in the competition, the Princesses were rather pale shadows of themselves and were dominated by the Cameroonians in all departments.

But for the inability of the Cameroonians to take advantage of some chances created, the game could have been put beyond their reach by the close of the first.

Though the Princesses made efforts at breaking the back of the Cameroonians, Faiza Ibrahim and Portia Boakye were unable to go past their opponents and rendered the half barren.

The Princesses were unable to make any drastic tactical changes to their play in the second half as the game followed the same trend with a Cameroonian dominance.

It was obvious that, the Cameroonians will be the side to open the scores and in the 55th minute, a well executed cross from Gabrielle Onguene Aboudi was headed in by Madeleine Mani Ngono for the first goal.

Ghana struggled on to come level in the game, but their approach to play was without aggression and fluidity as the Cameroonians remained on top of the game.

With the gold medal just ten minutes away, the Cameroonians adopted the delay tactics approach which frustrated the Ghanaians leading to the booking of Boakye.

The Princesses, however, managed to come close to scoring in the 87th but Elizabeth Addo was unable to connect a rebound after goalkeeper, Flore Annete Ndom Ngo failed to make a first time grab of the ball.

Source: GNA