Jerry Afriyie struck late to hand Ghana the gold medal in the Men’s football competition of the 2023 African Games.
The Ghana U-20 side delivered an exciting performance in front of a packed Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, March 22, in the final.
The Black Satellites, eager to emulate the triumph of their female counterparts, the Black Princesses dominated the game from the blast of the whistle.
Ghana earlier saw two goals ruled out in both halves due to infringements spotted by the referee in the build-ups.
Undeterred, the Ghana U-20 side remained resolute in mounting massive pressure on the Ugandans until Afriyie finally broke the deadlock in the 90th minute.
The Thought FC forward was unmarked in front of the Ugandan back line and released a diligent strike to the right corner, leaving the boisterous crowd in sheer excitement.
Afriyie’s heroics followed a couple of attempts, which went wide.
Ghana now completes the football competitions with two gold medals following the Black Princesses’ win over Nigeria on Thursday to win the Women’s event.
The recent victory of the Black Satellites signifies a revival in the U-20 squad’s fortunes, which had experienced a decline since their Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2021 under the guidance of seasoned manager Abdul Karim Zito.
Under Desmond Ofei’s leadership, the team appears to be on course to restore its former glory. Ofei’s tactical approach has garnered widespread praise, with the young talents consistently proving their abilities whenever given the chance.
With their recent success at the African Games, it is anticipated that they will maintain this positive momentum in their upcoming assignments.