Meteors exorcise South African ghost

Accra, Oct. 26, GNA - Ghana's Olympic soccer team, the Black Meteors, exorcised what has now become the "South African ghost", beating the Amagluglug 1-0 in their opening group D match in the 2004 Athens Olympic qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Kwadwo Poku netted the historic goal in the 82nd minute, which also gave Ghana her first victory over South African in any soccer competition since the former apartheid country was readmitted into world soccer.

It looked as though the Meteors, bronze medallists at the just ended All African Games were going to have a cricket score line from kick off, but that notion quickly fizzled out from the minds of the Ghanaian soccer fans when tall-lanky Thando Mnqomemi delivered a tricky shot which nearly went through the legs of goalkeeper George Owu in the 12th minute.

Prior to that scare, the Ghanaians have had their fair share of the cake, but erratic shooting coupled with inexperience robbed them of goals. Asamoah Gyan, chief culprit of the wasted opportunities set the tone for an erratic afternoon in the second minute when after wriggling through the South African defence, he shot feebly into the hands of goalie Jacob Mokahas when he could have laid on a pass for his attacking colleagues who were better placed to finish off.

The two sides upped their game after those early moves and while the Ghanaians relied on their fluent interposition play, the Amagluglug were quick on the break and looked more threatening each time they broke loose.

Five minutes before the break, Bernard Don Bortey exhibited a brilliant solo effort when he beat his markers and fired a left footer, which unfortunately was pushed to corner by the goalie.

The visitors increased the tempo 10 minutes after recess when rasta-haired Albert Kometsi volleyed a close-range shot, but it went off target.

Coach Rulf Zumdick, had no option than to vary his attack-oriented system, which included four top local goal mongers by introducing Shaibu Yakubu , Edmund Owusu Ansah and Issah Ahmed for Asamoha Gyan, Abubakari Yakubu and defender John Mensah in the last quarter of the match with the hope of getting the goals.

Owusu Ansah, soon after coming on, became the lynch pin around which the entire team revolved. And it was one of his initiatives that found Bortey, who delivered a shot across the face of the posts for Poku to connect into the roof of the net.

Only one country qualifies from the four-team group, which also involves Algeria and Zambia.

Line Up (Ghana): George Owu, Adamu Mohammed, Muntare, Daniel Coleman, John Mensah/Issa Ahmed, Yakubu Abubakari/Edmund Owusu Ansah, Don Bortey, Yussif Chipsah, Michael Osei, Asamoah Gyan/Shaibu Yakubu, Kwadwo Poku.

(South Africa): Jacob Mokahasi, Peter Peterson, Tsietsi Mahoa, Nasief Morris, Albert Kometsi, Benedick Vilakazi, Patrick Theola/Giant Lememi, Joseph Makhanya, Thando Mngomemi/Siphirewe Mbambo, Mabuti Khanyeza, Jeremaine Chrustian.