Ghana U20s came from behind to claim gold after Mukarama wonder strike
Ghana gained the upper hand in the latest instalment of international football's "Jollof Wars" as their Black Princesses dethroned defending champions Nigeria's Falconets with a dramatic 2-1 victory after extra time in the U20 Women's African Games final in Accra.
The Falconets looked to be cruising to back-to-back gold medals when Edeh Loveth Ndjeka opened the scoring in the 24th minute, capitalising on a goalkeeping howler.
07:14 - 20.03.2024
Jollof derby: Falconets to lead the war before Super Eagles battle Black Stars
Nigeria's U-20 girls go head-to-head with Ghana in the African Games final before the senior male teams lock horns on Friday
21:46 - 18.03.2024
African Games: Falconets show Ladan Bosso's Eagles how it is done after reaching another final
Substitute Okah and Okwuchukwu were the heroines for Nigeria's Falconets after a routine performance to seal a 2-0 victory over Uganda.
But the home side showed tremendous character to claw their way back into the contest as Tracy Twum's 78th-minute strike took the pulsating clash to an additional 30 minutes.
During that nervy extra period, the Black Princesses landed the decisive blow - Mukarama Abdullai rifling home a sensational long-range effort to spark wild celebrations.
Focus Switches to Super Eagles Derby
The 2-1 triumph sealed Ghana's second African Games gold in the U20 women's competition, while also gaining some psychological advantage ahead of the senior teams' friendly meeting in Morocco on Friday evening.
While the Black Princesses certainly enjoyed their moment of glory in Accra, attention now turns to the hugely anticipated clash between the Super Eagles and the Black Stars.
With both nations gearing up for crucial qualifiers later this year, the latest chapter in their long-running West African rivalry takes on even more significance.
Ghana's U20s have laid down the marker by winning the first of the Jollof Wars double-headers on home soil. Can the Super Eagles exact revenge and restore some national pride in Marrakech?
After a morale-boosting win, the Black Stars' spirits will be sky-high heading into the derby. But Nigeria's senior stars simply cannot afford any more slip-ups against Ghana.
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