Ghana’s Black Meteors were one of the favourites heading into last year’s U-23 AFCON tournament in Egypt.
And with a place at the (now) 2022 Olympic Games at stake, there was extra motivation for the side led by Ibrahim Tanko to go all the way.
However, the Meteors won only one game as they scraped through to the semi-finals.
Their final two games at the tournament were lost as well, heartbreakingly, on penalties.
Let’s look back at Ghana’s ill-fated run.
Ghana 1-1 Cameroon
Ghana and Cameroon played out a 1-1 draw in their opening game.
The Black Meteors picked up a point after Mohammed Habib’s equaliser, four minutes from time, cancelled out a wonderful free-kick from Cameroon’s Franck Evina.
Take a look at the highlights below:
Ghana 2-3 Egypt
The Meteors, despite leading on two separate occasions against Egypt, succumbed to a 3-2 loss to the hosts.
Yaw Yeboah had put the Meteors ahead inside six minutes before Egypt pegged them back 11 minutes later, with Mostafa Mohamed heading home.
Samuel Obeng restored Ghana’s lead right at the start of the second half after capitalising on a defensive error.
Egypt then laid siege to Ghana’s goal, desperate for an equaliser, and even hitting the crossbar at one point.
Ramadan Sobhi eventually found the leveller, poking home after Meteors keeper Baah failed to hold on to a shot.
Sobhi then set up Egypt’s winner two minutes from time as his corner was headed home by Ahmed Rayan.
Take a look at the highlights below:
Ghana 2-0 Mali
Kwabena Owusu became a national hero as his brace gave Ghana a 2-0 win over Mali.
The result, coupled with Egypt’s 2-1 win over Cameroon in the other Group A game, sent Ghana through to the semi-finals of the U-23 AFCON tournament.
Following a goalless first half and a nervy look over at the Egypt-Cameroon game in which the later at one point had scored an equaliser, Kwabena Owusu came up big, scoring in the 74th and 85th minutes to give the Black Meteors a crucial win.
Take a look at the highlights below:
Ghana 2-2 Ivory Coast – (2-3 on pens)
Ghana’s Black Meteors suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Ivory Coast on penalties in the semi. Yossouf Dao put Ivory Coast into the first-half lead before captain Yaw Yeboah levelled for the Meteors in the second half.
Dao scored again with six minutes to go to put Ivory Coast 2-1 up but Evans Mensah found an equaliser in injury time to take the match to extra-time and eventually to penalties.
Ghana’s penalty hoodoo against the Ivorians continued as misses from Emmanuel Cudjoe, Evans Mensah and Kwabena Owusu gave their opponents a 3-2 win.
Take a look at the highlights below:
Ghana 2-2 South Africa – (6-5 on pens)
The Black Meteors’ final game saw them miss out on a place at the Tokyo Olympics after losing 6-5 on penalties to South Africa.
The third-place playoff match finished 2-2 after 90 minutes with the game heading straight to a shootout.
The Stars were perfect until Kingsley Fobi missed his spot-kick with the South Africans scoring their remaining kicks to take it into sudden death.
After goalkeeper Baah made a save, handing Edward Sarpong a chance to win it for the Black Meteors.
However, his effort probably hit an actual meteor, as he fired it well over the bar. Emmanuel Cudjoe also missed his effort, handing the South Africans the final Olympics spot.
Take a look at the highlights below: