By: Olamide O. Abe
LAGOS – Two second half goals from Princella Adobea and Vivian Adjei Konadu propelled Ghana to a 2-0 win over Cameroon in the penultimate game of the Aisha Buhari Cup on Monday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.
Both teams went into the game on the back of a 3-0 and 1-0 loss to South Africa and Morocco respectively in the opening game and needed to win on Monday evening to redeem their image.
Gabriel Zapo who started his Cameroon managerial journey with a lost to Morocco made two changes as goalkeeper Ange Bawow and Bertha Abega comes in for their first match.
After the drubbing by Banyana Banyana, Ghanaian head coach, Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo was pressurized into introducing Tweneboaa Justice, Vivian Adjei Konadu and Elizabeth Owusuaa.
The first half saw a balanced game with Ghana dominating proceedings in certain portions but struggled to bury the chances that came their way. Vivian Adjei Konadu who was on the end of an explosive counter-attack could not find the back of the net as her feeble effort missed the goal post by inches.
Grace Asantewaa and Princella Adobea came close as well but were both denied by Cameroon goalkeeper Bawow Ange Gabrielle.
Later in the second half, both teams came in stronger but the Black Queens dominated with some scintillating runs to the admiration of spectators at the remodeled astroturf stadium in Nigeria’s economic capital city.
As Princella Adubea was storming down the left flank in the 59th minute, Asentewa Grace’s through pass splits the Lionesses’ defense thereby making her to lift the ball over Bawow Ange Gabrielle for the opener.
In the 73rd minute, substitute Sonia Opoku dispossessed her marker, drove towards goal and hit a powerful long-range effort which was parried away again by keeper Bawow Ange Gabrielle.
Ghana could have further extended their lead in the 75th minutes but Vivian Konadu failed to direct her low drive shot into the back of the net.
The Omnipresent Asentewa Grace was the creator-in-chief again as Vivian Adjei Konadu sealed the victory for the Queens after dribbling pass three Cameroonian defenders to slot home the winning goal sublimely two minutes from normal time.
The Black Queens will return to Ghana to continue their preparation towards a crucial Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifier against 11-times champion, Nigeria next month while Cameroon will be geared towards preparations against the minnows of Central African Republic.
