Dreams FC progress in CAF Champs League prelims
Ghana’s CAF Confederation Cup campaigners, Dreams FC booked qualification to the second round preliminary stage of the competition after defeating Milo FC de Kankan 2-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Dreams qualified on a 3-2 aggregate victory, having drawn 1-1 with the same side last week in Guinea.
It was Dreams FC that came close to scoring as early as the second minute with a John Antwi header from an Ishmael Dede cross but it missed the post.
After that close shave, the visitors warmed themselves into the game and put passes together, looking for the opening in the goal area of the Ghanaians.
During that period, they had their moment on the 13th minute when Abdul Yonto Camara picked a ball outside Dreams FC’s goal area and hit a powerful drive which was parried into play by the goalkeeper Augustine Koomson but with the defenders caught ball watching, Seydouba Bangoura raced past them to tap home the opener.
Four minutes later, Camara nearly doubled the lead for the visitors as he dribbled past Abubakar Mohammed only to shoot over the bar.
Dreams threw everything into the game and went close on 25 minutes but goalkeeper Mohammed Lamine pulled a brilliant save from Dede’s goal bound strike.
Spurred on by a handful of Guineans fans in the stands, Milo FC held on to the lead and thwarted the efforts of the host.
Dreams FC effected two substitutions that saw Sylvester Simba and Ofori McCharty replacing Abdul Aziz and Emmanuel Agyei to try and change the trend.
Milo FC resumed the second half with extreme caution and engaged in delay tactics with the least opportunity while Dreams FC pushed more men forward for the equaliser.
On the hour mark, Coach Abdul Karim Zito brought on Agyenim Boateng for Aholou Gael Avocevou, a change that increased the tempo for the Ghanaians and made them more purposeful.
His link up play with Abdul Aziz and Antwi upfront created a chance for Antwi who beat the Milo defense and lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Lamine who brought him down for a welcome penalty.
It was expertly converted by Boateng for the equaliser on the 82nd minute.
The equaliser unsettled the visitors who stormed out of their shells.
Four minutes after the equaliser, Antwi won the game for Dreams when he out-jumped the defence of the visitors to head home a Dede cross from the right to send the stadium agog.
Dreams controlled the game afterwards and slowed the tempo while Milo FC players began to play again, chasing the Ghanaians around for possession.
Dreams FC would next play Kallon FC of Sierra Leone after their opponent AS Douanes of Niger withdrew due to the current political situation in the country.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
