Ghana suffered a humbling defeat at the hands of Japan as the Asian country’s Olympic football team annihilated the Black Meteors 6-0 in an international friendly played on Saturday.
Doan Ritsu opened the scoring for the hosts via a half volley after Ghana’s goalkeeper made a save from an earlier shot.
Real Madrid midfielder Takefusa Kubo doubled the lead for Japan a few minutes later, producing and unstoppable curler.
Just before the half time whistle, the lead was increased to three after Frank Assinki, who was poor throughout the game, turned the ball into his own net.
Japan returned from the break as hungry as ever and it did not take long for them to find the net once again. This time, Takefusa Kubo turned provider, setting up Soma Yuki for the fourth.
Ueda Ayase made it five for the home team via a header and Mitoma Kaora made it six at the dying embers of the game.
Ahead of the trip, clubs in the Ghana Premier League restricted some key players from joining the Black Meteors. One example was Daniel Barnieh, a forward for Hearts of Oak and captain during the triumph of the Black Satellites in the U-20 tournament.
The same could be said for Diawisie Taylor, the Ghana Premier League’s top scorer at the time of writing, who had to sit this one out due to a COVID-19 issue.
Goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim, who is one of the rising stars in Ghana football, is part of the Black Stars camp. That is also the case of Fatawu Issahaku, the Player of the tournament during the U-20 AFCON earlier this year.
This result should certainly not please anyone but patience should be shown to a team that is trying to build a core group and chemistry.
Ghana will play Japan again on Wednesday before travelling to face South Korea in also a double-header friendly in Seoul.
Source: 3news.com
