The Black Stars of Ghana finished their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers campaign as Group C winners after whipping Sao Tome and Principe on Sunday afternoon.
Ghana inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Sao Tome and Principle in their match-day six clashes at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor’s side gained possession to stage an intense pressure on the visitors which earned them the opener before the quarters of the game.
France-based defender Nicholas Opoku registered his first-ever goal for the Black Stars with a bullet header on the 12th minute from a corner-kick effected by Kudus Mohammed.
Duo Mubarak Wakaso and Thomas Partey bossed the midfield as the four-time AFCON champions produced a spirited performance in the first half of the fixture at the empty Accra Sports Stadium.
Sao Tome coach Tino was forced to make an early substitution after Ricardo Cardoso sustained an injury which got him replaced by Tinho on the 27th minute of the game.
The Black Stars continued their dominance over Sao Tome as Jordan Ayew was fouled in the 18-yard box by Nilton Pequeno on the 29th minute.
Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew elected himself to convert the spot-kick awarded to Ghana firmly into the net of goalkeeper Aldair D’Almeida.
Ghana kept dominating the game comfortably in the last fifteen minutes of the first half as Kudus Mohammed and Osman Bukari dazzled the backline of the visitors but their efforts went futile.
Sao Tome goalkeeper made a brilliant save on the stroke of halftime to deny Aldair D’Almeida from extending the lead for Ghana with an audacious strike.
The first department of the match ended in a 2-0 lead in favor of the senior national team of Ghana.
Back from the break, Great Olympics talisman Gladson Awako was introduced to replace KAA Gent attacker Osman Bukari.
The Black Stars continued their impressive performance with some fearsome attacks on the Sao Tome defenders which earned them the third goal on the hour-mark.
On-loan Chelsea defender Abdul Baba Rahman extended the lead for the Black Stars with a cool finish on the 60th minute of the game.
Ghana made all the required substitutions as Imoro Ibrahim, Kwasi Okyere Wriedt, Justice Blay and Kwame Poku replaced Baba Rahman, Jordan Ayew, Kudus Mohammed, and Mubarak Wakaso respectively.
Sao Tome looked dangerous in the middle of the second half as they piled up pressure on the defenders of the Black Stars which got them the consolation goal in the 83rd minute.
Substitute Fernandez Carvalho snatched the goal for Sao Tome and Principle after making good use of a gifted pass from goalkeeper Razak Abalora of Ghana.
In the dying embers of the game, Andre Ayew and Kwasi Okyere Wriedt were denied from scoring by the Sao Tome goalkeeper as the game ended in a 3-1 victory in favor of Ghana, with an injury scare as skipper Dede Ayew had to be attended to by doctors even after the match, with his colleagues surrounding him.
