Beach soccer: Black Sharks win 6-5 against Egypt
Ghana’s beach soccer team, the Black Sharks put up a spirited performance to record a 6-5 victory over the Sand Pharaohs of Egypt in the first leg of the 2022 African Cup of Nations Beach Soccer qualifiers on Saturday at the Laboma Beach, Accra.
It was a revenge for the Sharks which, suffered a 4-5 defeat to the Egyptians in the 2016 edition held in Nigeria.
Poised to put up a show, Ghana opened the score with the first strike in under two minutes through Kinni Ticor.
The Egyptians capitalised on a goalkeeping error from Ghana to draw level four minutes later from Ibrahim Hassan.
Keen on cleaning his mess, the Ghanaian goalie, Robert struck twice from distance but was denied by the woodwork.
Hassan doubled Egypt’s lead to register his second in the 13th minute as the visitors went into the first half break with a 2-1 advantage.
Ghana returned from the break with an intense pressure and deservedly grabbed the equaliser four minutes into the second half through RichadOsa’s incredible overhead strike.
Hattham Mohammed regained the lead a minute on to make it 3-2 in favour of the Sand Pharaoh’s before Ghana’s Michael Sema tied the score at three.
Ghana took over again as Eugene Dekpey scored the fourth goal with a few minutes left to play.
In the third and final half, the Egyptians pulled even through Mohamed Hussein but Richard Osa scored again to put Ghana in front as he marked his brace.
John PaaKwesiHaghan scored the game’s final goal to secure a crucial victory over the 2018 bronze medalists after the Sand Pharaoh’s scored with minutes remaining in the match.
Speaking after the game, Ghana’s Head Coach, Daniel Neequaye Kotey praised his lads for the hard-fought victory and assured same performance will be replicated in the return encounter.
The Black Sharks will travel to Cairo for the second leg on August 6.
BY LINUS SIAW NARTEY
