How Ghana’s Jimmy Corbblah suffered tactical knockout by Senegal’s Youssouph Dabo

The Black Satellites of Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Senegal in their second group clash of the ongoing U20 AFCON in Niger on Wednesday afternoon, in a game that left Jimmy Corbblah panting for mercy.

A brace from striker Youssouph Badji in the first half gave the Young Lions of Terenga the all-important win that granted them a ticket to the U20 FIFA World Cup to be staged in Poland in May this year.

The game that left Ghana coach Jimmy Corbblah suffocating on the bench lost in ideas like a wandering teenager who has tasted ‘weed’ for the first time and looking helpless has put Ghana in a difficult situation so far as qualification to Poland is concerned.

But how was Youssouph Dabo able to tie the hands of Jimmy Corbblah, whipping him on the field as he helplessly looked on?

FootballMadeInGhana.com’ Sheikh Tophic Sienu takes a look at the tactical punches of the two coaches resulting in the technical knockout for Jimmy.

Ghana static formation 4-3-3

Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (GK)

Maxwell Arthur
Montari Kamaheni
Isahaku Konda
Gideon Mensah

Sabit Abdulai
Emmanuel Kumah
Kudus Mohammed

Enock Atta Agyei
Emmanuel Toku
Daniel Lomotey

Senegal static formation 3:5:2

Dialy Ndiaye (GK)

Souleymane Cisse
Moussa Ndiaye
Souleymane Aw

Ousseynou Diane
Dion Lopy
Fermose Mendy
Mamadou Danfa
Faly Ndaw

Ibrahima Frame
Youssouph Badji

The Analysis

Jimmy Corbblah started the game with only one change to Ghana’s line up – Toku for Sadiq (like for like change). Toku’s start was to increase Ghana’s fluidity upfront but was the target met? Well, Senegal had other plans.

Senegal’s tactical approach to the game was to load the midfield, which they had seen was Ghana’s strength – with Kudus, Kumah and Sabit, all ball playing midfielders. With that, Ghana will struggle to string passes together, limiting supplies to Lomotey and then put Ghana on a knife’s edge.

Ghana were not tactical in the opening game against Burkina Faso, but the players displayed individual brilliance and with the blunder from Kone -the B. Faso center back – Lomotey had the brace.

The brace from Lomotey scared the Senegalese so the only thing to do to stop Lomotey from scoring is simple – ‘don’t make any silly mistakes.’ This seem the instruction Dabo gave his boys.

So from the start of the game, Moussa Ndiaye and Souleymane Cisse kept kicking Lomotey hard to put the ‘fear of God’ in him. They kept being hard on him and that was one of their key strategies.

Now, after Senegal had put five players in midfield to cut supplies from Kudus and Kumah, Dabo, they also planted skipper Ousseynou Diagne (Jersey no.4) in from of his back three to block all threats and indeed, he did his job excellently. Diagne was not only intelligent, but was also physically strong and his height gave him advantage to pick all the aerial balls.

So after limiting Ghana’s engine room – the midfield – Senegal then exploited Ghana’s weakness – the defence.

Before the tournament, Ghana had conceded 7 goals in 4 games which gave an indication that the team’s defence was leaking like a knackered fridge.

Despite not conceding a goal in the opening game against Burkina Faso, the naivity, nervousness and lack of confidence of Ghana’s center backs were as glaring as crystal, inviting several comments from those who noticed it.

Dabo then ensured that Mamadou Danfa who was operating from the right side of their midfield and Ibrahima Diame would always float the balls into the Ghana 18-box to invite trouble for the shaky defenders.

This resulted in the first goal- a cross from Danfa and a header from Badji – and the second goal also from poor marking and bad timing from the two center backs.

Despite Montari failing to close down Danfa from unleashing that cross, Ghana could have avoided the first goal with a very good center back pair.

In all these, Jimmy Corbblah was expected to identify and neutralize Dabo, but it seems the fire was too hot for the Ghana coach.

Dabo did not only whip Jimmy tactically, he dragged him on the floor as well. The Senegal gaffer could vary his tactics at any point in the game, switching from 3-5-2 to 4-5-1 and playing the counter attacking game. This was clearly seen with 15 minutes to end the first half. No wonder their second goal came from a Ghana corner kick and the Senegalese swiftly turned it into attack on Ghana with Badji driving home a beautiful strike to leave the score 2-0 on the stroke of half time.

Sadly, Ghana played to the advantage of Senegal by always floating the balls. How can a team with David-like heights be floating balls when playing with Goliath-like opponents?

Instead of Ghana reducing running too much in the game and letting the ball do the running, they kept doing same and even intensified it in the second half.

Ghana needed Prosper Ahiabu to have come on earlier in the game to provide shield for the defenders but he kept too long on the bench.

Corbblah’s boys needed to stop floating the balls and keep possessing more.
The Ghana gaffer should have introduced skillful players in the team to invite kicks for set pieces. Ghana could only win through set pieces because the Senegal defenders are not leaving any stone unturned. It was clear at a point that the only way Ghana could score was through set pieces but they struggled to create the set pieces, and even the few ones they had, they couldn’t make good use of them.

In effect, Ghana’s flanks were rendered impotent as Montari and Maxwell were given too much trouble by Danfa and Drame while the midfield was hindered, making the game a little easier for Senegal to win.