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Ghana’s hopes of reaching the FIFA U-20 World Cup were dashed on Monday night after a dramatic quarterfinal loss to host nation Egypt in the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
The match, played at the Suez Stadium, ended in heartbreak for the Black Satellites, who bowed out following a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat after a 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time.
The game started disastrously for Ghana. Two defensive errors handed Egypt an early two-goal cushion, with Moamen Goweily Sherif punishing poor communication at the back. His opener came in the 19th minute after a mix-up between McCarthy Ofori and goalkeeper Gidios Aseako, and he struck again shortly after.
Despite the early setback, Ghana responded with determination. Just before halftime, Abdul Aziz Issah pulled one back with a powerful drive, reigniting hope for the West Africans.
The momentum shifted, and in the dying minutes of added time, substitute Abdul Hakim Sulemana held his nerve to convert a penalty and level the score.
Extra time saw Aaron Essel controversially sent off, reducing Ghana to ten men, but the team defended bravely to take the tie to penalties.
Ultimately, Egypt edged it, converting five of their spot-kicks to Ghana’s four, eliminating the Black Satellites and ending their dream of a World Cup return.
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