A much improved Black Stars trounced Asian champions Qatar 5-1 in the second international friendly after a horrendous first against Mali.
Substitute Caleb Ekuban took the game beyond the reach of the Asians after a brace from skipper Dede Ayew and another goal from Samuel Owusu all in the second half.
Qatar cancelled an early lead by Torique Fosu just on the stroke of halftime but succumbed to a dominant Black Stars performance in the second half.
Mali nightmare
After an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Mali three days ago, the Stars needed to make a statement, in their second friendly and they were ruthless against Qatar.
Torique Fosu opened the Ghana account, his first international goal from a rebound after Jordan Ayew forced a save from the Qatar goal keeper. It was an exciting relief for the Ghanaians after an early scare from the Asian champions.
Qatar nearly breached the Ghana defence two minutes into the game but the deftest of touches from the striker beat the Ghana goal keeper, brushed off the inside of the post and went across the face of goal. It was pretty much the same time that the Stars conceded their first goal against Mali.
From then on the Stars were rampant and dictated the pace of the game for most part.
Dede should have scored the opener in the 10th minute but after dummying two markers in the box he shot feebly with his weaker right foot. It was only a matter of time for the Ghanaians to score and it took young Tarique Fosu who pounced on a rebound after 20 minutes of play. Samuel Owusu forced another great save from the Qatar goal keeper when he capped his sumptuous run with a great shot.
The Stars were in the driving seat heading into the end of the half but the Asian champions capitalized on a momentary lack of concentration to draw level with a minute of playing time remaining. A long searching ball found the Qatar striker Ali Almoez who outpaced Aidoo in defence for Ghana before lifting the ball over Ghana’s goal keeper and shooting into a yawning net for the final action in the first half.
The second half was horrifying for the Asian Champions. They conceded four goals and it could have been more but they wasted glaring opportunities of their own too.
Dede Ayew got his shot from the six yard box hitting the roof of the post after a goal mouth melee in the 47thminute. Thomas Partey had only seconds earlier struck a bullet which was parried away and later cleared on a rebound.
The Arsenal midfielder set up Dede for the second goal after the 50th minute. The Ghana skipper trapped the ball after a defender played him onside and with just the goal keeper to beat, he slotted it cool and easy.
Samuel Owusu who put up a man of the match performance made it three for the Stars after he latched onto an inch-perfect long pass from Partey and planted the ball into the net in the 64th minute.
The pass from Partey to Owusu
Dede Ayew got the Stars’ fourth goal and his second on the night with a cool header from close range but the credit must go to his junior brother Jordan who set him up with a sublime through pass.
Substitute Caleb Ekuban advertised a superb header from a sumptuous Samuel Owusu cross to make it five for the Ghanaians.
The Asian champions were also profligate in front of goal and could have gotten a consolation or two in the final embers of the game.
