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Sports Features of Monday, 4 June 2012

Source: El-Amisty Nobo/Freelance Journalist

Atsu makes Debut Statement

20-year-old Rio Ave winger, Christian Atsu Twasam made a strong statement for himself and to the world at large that he is indeed the African Messi when he came on from the bench to score a mouth watering goal for the Black Stars as they walloped the crocodiles of Lesotho by 7 – 0 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Ghana’s first 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Christian Atsu who is barely known in Ghana came on in the second half to replace the captain of the side Sulley Muntari but his first touch on the ball won a dozen of applause from the fans and the telepathy between him and fellow middies (Kwadwo Asamoah,Anthony Annan and Agyemang Badu) was nothing but excellent as they kept splitting the Basotho’s defence open.

The winger who is undoubtedly the best young performer in Europe this year with 27 appearance and 6 goals for his side Rio Ave scored his first international goal in his debut appearance in the 85th minutes when he shaved the ball from outside the eighteen with his ‘delish’ left foot to the roof of the net.

Atsu who started his football career in Ghana with Gomoa Fetteh Feyenoord before joining a Kasoa based Division II outfit, Cheetah fc left Ghana in 2009 to join the junior level of Portuguese side FC Porto where he convinced first team coach Andre Villa Boas with his dazzling performance.

Atsu’s performance against the Basotho’s proves that the young midfielder has come to stay and his fellow team mates have all shown signs of love for the young player who is been monitored by lots of the big giants in Europe.