Starlets lose to Italy

Official Website

A 32nd minute goal by Orlando Banasca against Ghana preserved Italy’s perfect record to keep the hosts bang on course to take the award as the Top Team in the Meridian Cup. A further victory over Nigeria in Bari on Friday would assure of them top spot in the final ranking. What’s more, in a solid victory over the Africans in the Stadio delle Ulivi in Andria, they maintained their record of not having conceded a goal in the tournament much thanks to the three-man defensive "wall" of Cesare Bovo, Felice Piccolo and Niccol? Galli, who gave impeccable protection to Tommasso Berni, who returned between the posts after a one-match break.

Home side tips the scale
Ghana, who also started the game unbeaten, began brightly and gave several glimpses of their class in the opening stages but then the home side once again tipped the balance in their favour mostly thanks a suffocating blanket of defenders who provided a solid basis for Italy to prepare their attacks. After 20 minutes, a free-kick taken by Nicola Beati on the right was headed by Niccol? Galli against the bar. Five minutes later, a free-kick on the left taken by the same player was headed into the net by Felice Piccolo but the goal was disallowed as the referee adjudged the Italian defender to have fouled an opponent. However, the hosts were finally rewarded for their pressure when another set piece produced the only goal of the game as Fanasca rose high to head home a corner by Fabio Quagliarella.

Black Stars fail to convert
From the beginning of the second half, the Italians seemed content just to defend which left the Africans with the greater share of ball-possession without being able to carve out any clear-cut opportunities. The result was 45 minutes of sterile domination by the Black Star punctuated by Italian attempts to seal victory on the counter-attack. While the Italian goalkeeper had little to do, Fabio Quagliarella could have settled the issue had he made better use of chances in the 71st and 77th minutes. During the final quarter-hour, the worsening conditions made it even easier for the Italians to defend their advantage, while the Ghanaians paid for 75 minutes of all-out effort on a heavy pitch.

Rain, cold and mud "This was a very difficult game for us," admitted Paolo Berrettini afterwards, "against one of the strongest teams in the tournament. During the first half we produced a great performance, especially in midfield where Pasquale Berardi didn’t put a foot wrong. During the second half we were not so convincing but we concentrated on containing our opponents and succeeded in denying them clear scoring chances. Here the performance of Salvatore Ferraro was crucial in countering the danger of their Number 16 on the left." Francis Oti Akenteng said "my team didn’t really manage to express itself, but the unexpectedly intense cold was a great handicap for us. Our physical performance was badly affected by the low temperatures – which we are not used to – and I am not sure that Italy would have beaten us if the conditions had been different. My appreciation of this match is that we managed to move the ball around well and kept possession but we failed to pierce their defence and create situations of real danger."

Lineup for Starlets: Agyepong, Ankamah(Quartey 79), Muntari, Quaye, Avevor, Imoro(Muntari Salou 37), Ampeh, Yamoah(Abdulai 62), Coleman, Adofo, Ocansey