Ghana and Egypt played out an exciting 1-1 draw in a pre-U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) friendly match held at the Alexandria Stadium on Thursday.
Ghana started the match on the front foot, displaying their attacking prowess early on. In the 9th minute, their efforts paid off when Issahaku skillfully evaded three Egyptian defenders, only to be brought down inside the penalty area. Afriyie Barnieh confidently converted the resulting penalty, giving Ghana a deserved lead.
Egypt had a chance to equalise just ten minutes later when they were awarded a penalty of their own. However, Ghana’s goalkeeper, Ibrahim Danlad, produced a brilliant save, denying the Egyptians and maintaining his team’s advantage.
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Despite Danlad’s heroics, Egypt managed to find the equalising goal in the 34th minute after a Ghanaian defensive lapse. Egypt capitalised and drew level.
Black Meteors had a man sent off, but managed to hold. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, highlighting the competitiveness of both teams. The game served as valuable preparation for Ghana’s U-23 team before AFCON in Morocco.
Their primary objective in the tournament is to secure a top-three finish, which would grant them qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris next year.
Ghana’s U-23 team aim to make their mark on the global stage once again, as their last participation in the Olympic Games was in 2004. They have been drawn in Group A alongside Morocco, Congo, and Guinea.