Ghana Bow To South Africa In Africa Hockey Youth Championship

Ghana’s Junior Black Sticks recorded their worst defeat against South Africa in recent times after losing 0-6 in their second match at the ongoing Africa Junior Hockey Championship in Randburg, South Africa, but still have a chance to pick one of the tickets for next year’s World Cup in India if they win their remaining two matches.

It was a sweet revenge for South Africa who lost the continent’s single ticket to Ghana at the under-17 level in 2009.

The result puts South Africa and Egypt on top of the group with six points apiece, having won their two opening matches.

South Africa thrashed Zimbabwe 11-0 last Sunday, while Egypt won 14-1 against Zimbabwe and 9-0 against Kenya.

The South Africa team largely dominated by whites kept the Ghanaians on back foot for the first 10 minutes with series of incessant attacks wasting a sixth minute short corner.

The Ghanaians looked composed even under the pressure as Coach Edmund Ayertey kept faith with his starting 11 and had to wait till the 18th minute to introduce Daniel Bempah.

The Junior Black Sticks played a compact game with little room for flair which the South African capitalized on to unsettle them on 10th minute when Ignatius Malgraff sliced home a field’s goal.

The Johnny Botsio-led Ghana attack repulsed the challenge also immediately, but they wasted two successive penalty corners, one flicked over the post by goalkeeper Rene Peyre De La and the other intercepted after the stopping.

Ghana’s brief dominance continued but it was truncated momentarily when Mathew Guise-Brown finished off a penalty corner with 14 minutes to end the first half.

Indeed, the South Africans were not as deadly as one had expected but they only took their chances. They made it three at the start of the second half from a beautiful flick from Grant Glutz and increased the tally, courtesy an own goal by the Ghanaians.

Andrew Manson added one before Damian put the icing on the cake for the South Africans.

In the other matches South Africa ladies trounced Kenya 5-1 and Kenya men won 4-0 against Zimbabwe.

The Ghanaian men play their penultimate match today against Zimbabwe while the ladies clash with South Africa.

The ladies would have to win today’s match or their final game against Kenya on Friday to book a place at the mundial.

This article also appeared in print on Wednesday October 17, 2012 edition of Graphic Sports