The Brave Warriors of Namibia have beaten the Black Stars of Ghana by lone goal in an international friendly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
A 34th minute goal from Starke Manfred was all that the Namibians needed to dispatch a Black Stars team of Lawrence Ati Zigi, Joseph Attamah, Baba Abdul Rahman, Joseph Aidoo, Jonathan Mensah, Afriyie Acquah, Abdul Fatawu Safui, Yaw Yeboah, Abdul Majeed Waris and Jordan Ayew making up the starting eleven.
Ghana was gifted a penalty in the first half but stars midfielder Christian Atsu shot into the waiting arms of goalkeeper Lloyd Jr. Kazapua to end the first half.
Coach Kwesi Appiah, who was using this game to assess and determine his final 23 man squad for the 2019 AFCON scheduled from June 21 to July 19, made an overhaul changes to the team in the second half of the game, in a bid to salvage a draw and monitor the rest of the team but all proved futile as the Brave Warriors stood their grounds to defend the lone goal.
Mubarak Wakaso had an opportunity to pull parity for Ghana through a second spot kick but his effort was also wasted as the Stars fought hard to redeem a goal but to no avail as the game ended by the lone goal.
Meanwhile both coaches are expected to announce and submit their final list for the continental show piece to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) by close of day on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 for all necessary procedures to be sorted out before kick-off of the 32nd biennial tournament.
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