On the day that their country was celebrating the 64th Independence Day, Ghana’s Black Satellites delivered the ultimate gift, wrapped up in the form of the Total Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after a 2-0 win over debutants Uganda in the final in Nouakchott on Saturday.
Skipper Daniel Afriyie led from the front, and had a military salute dance to celebrate on each occasion, as Ghana clinched the fourth Under-20 continental title, and a first since their last conquest in 2009.
The Black Satellites replicated the same score-line the two countries posted when they last met in a continental final, this being in the 1978 senior Cup of Nations. By design or coincidence, it was also another Afriyie, this time Opoku, who scored twice for the senior Ghanaians.
The Ghanaian youngsters had a great performance at the tournament with the likes of Fatawu Issahaku, Ibrahim Danlad, Mathew Anim Cudjo, Percious Boah and others.