Super Eagles defeat Ghana 2-1 in friendly
The Super Eagles defeated 10-man Black Stars of Ghana 2-1 in an international friendly at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on Friday night.
The two West African rivals took advantage of the FIFA international break to face each other. The result means the Black Stars are now winless in their last six games.
Goals from Cyriel Dessers and Ademola Lookman was enough to earn interim coach Finidi George his first win.
Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew got Ghana’s consolation goal.
The Black Stars played most part of the second half with 10 men after Jerome Opoku was shown a straight red card.
Former Bendel Insurance defender Benjamin Tanimu made his first appearance for the Eagles.
Also, the game saw the return of Wilfred Ndidi, who captained the side.
It was not the best of return for Otto Addo who was recently reappointed as Black Stars coach.
The first chance of the game went to the Eagles in the 3rd minute after the Black Stars keeper made a mistake.
But the keeper made amends as he stopped Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal bound strike.
In the 10th minute Iheanacho tested the keeper from the edge of the box but his effort was punched away for a corner.
The Eagles continued to create chances and almost got rewarded after Dessers outmuscled his marker but his low strike was stopped by the keeper.
Just two minutes later Iheanacho also went close but saw his volley from close range punched over the bar for a corner.
Dessers was denied again on 31 minutes by the keeper as he saw his effort, off a clever free kick from Iheanacho palmed away.
The Super Eagles were awarded a penalty in the 35th minute after a Ghanaian defender handled the ball inside the box. Dessers took up the responsibility and coolly slotted the ball into the net. It was the 29-year-old’s second goal for the three-time African champions.
With two minutes left in the first half Antoine Semenyo has had Ghana’s first real chance but failed to keep his shot down, as it went off target.
The Black Stars came out more purposeful in the second half and almost equalized but the ball inches off the post.
In the 53rd minute Iheanacho drove towards the Black Stars box but saw how low shot go off target.
In the 56th minute the Black Stars were reduced to 10 men following a straight red card issued to Opoku.
But few moments later Ghana almost equalised but Stanley Nwabali punched a goal bound header away for a corner.
Dessers could have doubled the lead on 62 minutes only to see his strike, off a cross from Bruno Onyemaechi miss the target.
With 13 minutes left Semenyo almost drew his side level but his header from a cross went just off the target.
In the 84th minute Lookman made it 2-0 as he received a pass unmarked and slotted past the keeper.
Ayew then pulled a goal back for the Black Stars from the penalty spot on 94 minutes.
The Black Stars almost snatched a late equalizer but Nwabali made a brilliant save to stop a goal bound shot.
The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday, 26 March when they will take on Mali in another friendly also in Marrakech.
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