Eagles Deserve To Win, Says Ghana Coach

Black Stars of Ghana coach David Duncan has confessed that the Super Eagles, who defeated his team 2-1 yesterday in the second semi-final of the West Africa Football Union, WAFU Nations Cup, deserve their victory.

He said the Nigerian team performed better, hence they deserve to win the pulsating encounter played at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta..

The Eagles rode on the Ghanaians to set up a final showdown with the Hawks of Togo tomorrow. Togo defeated the Lone Star of Liberia 4-2 in the first semi-final played at the same venue.

Duncan said he was glad to see Ghana and Nigeria playing good football but admitted that the Eagles were the better side.

The Ghanaian hailed Eagles’ resilience, who came back from a goal down, lost a penalty and later went on to win the clash in the extra time.

According to him; “Nigeria deserved to win the semi final because they played better than my team. I actually thought we had won the match when we were a goal up, only for my team to lose concentration. I also think that the officiating was questionable because the centre referee was not in control.”

The match ended 1-1 at regulation time before both teams went into an extra time.

Both sides missed several scoring chances in the first half, but Nigeria eventually won the match by 2-1.

It was the Ghanaians who drew the first blood from the spot kick in the 67th minute through Daniel Gyamfi.

Gege Soriola had fouled a Ghanaian in the box and the centre referee pointed straight to the penalty spot.

The goal increased the tempo of the match with the Nigerians going in search of the equaliser, which they didn’t get until the 83rd minute through Warri Wolves’ Ekigho Ehiosun.

Ehiosun, who had a brace and took his goal tally to four, capitalised on a defensive error of the Ghanaians to get the equaliser.

The Black Stars, who couldn’t contain the superior power of the Nigerians managed to keep scores at 1-1 until the game dragged into an extra time.

The Eagles had the chance to wrap up the game but Stanley Okoronkwo failed to convert the penalty awarded to Nigeria after Ehiosun was brought down inside the box. Ehiosun netted Nigeria’s winner in the 119th minute. He took on two Black Stars defender before coming face-to-face with Ghanaian goalkeeper, Daniel Adjei and fired a shot into the right corner of the post. The match also saw seven players going into the bad books of the referee.

—Sunday Akintoye