Substitute Emmanuel Yeboah scored a brace and assisted Ernest Nuamah to ensure Ibrahim Tanko’s side grab all points at stake.
Here are three things we learned at the Prince Moulaye Abdellah Stadium.
Black Meteors manage to grind out ugly win
Sometimes it is not about pretty football. It cannot always be easy on the eye, and that is the best way to describe this game. The first 45 minutes were extremely poor as both sides struggled to show quality in the final third of the field.
It would be fair to say that Ibrahim Tanko will not have been all that impressed with what he saw from his boys on Sunday, especially in the first half. A lot of sideways and backward passes, very little movement in attacking zones, a complete crisis of confidence, and aversion to attempting anything remotely risky.
It was not a match that will live long in the memory, but it was absolutely vital as the Black Meteors secured all three points.
Dismal Barnieh Fails To Impress Again
As the skipper of the side, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has found himself a regular starter for the Black Meteors in the recent outings, but the former Hearts man need to show more attacking tendencies if he is to cement his spot in the starting X1. Too many times in the first half, he failed to make any meaningful impact in the attacking third.
Barnieh was hooked off by Tanko at halftime and it was fully deserved following a limp showing. His recent performances will certainly be of concern for Tanko who will be hoping the FC Zurich man can be a key player in Morocco but at the moment, his form doesn’t warrant a starting place for the Black Meteors.
Emmanuel Yeboah gives Black Meteors a new lease of life
The Black Meteors have regularly been undermined by a lack of pace and goalscoring prowess in the final third. All too often, Tanko’s lads little-to-no threat when it really mattered. Not now, for with the presence of CFR Cluj star Emmanuel Yeboah, Tanko’s side finally have at least one player capable of hitting the back of the net with some sort of regularity.
With Congo on the front foot in the first half, Yeboah replaced Barnieh and made an instant impact. His willing running and skills and goals sparked something in both an almost empty stadium and his teammates to swing the balance Ghana’s way in the second half.
His example in pressing intelligently from the front encouraged others to follow suit. His performance gave supporters a tantalising glimpse of what they’ve been missing for some time now.
He got a brace and was adjudged the Most Valuable Player. If he continues in this vein, he will surely be one of the players who would join a big European club after the tournament.
