The host nation Ghana was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Congo in their opening Group A match of the African Games at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday.
It was a tale of two halves for the Black Stars, who struggled to find their rhythm in the first 45 minutes against a resolute Congolese side.
Coach Desmond Ofei’s men failed to create any clear-cut chances as Congo’s organized defense kept them at bay.
However, Ghana came out with much more intent and purpose in the second period. They began to dictate play and had the better opportunities to break the deadlock.
Their best chance came around the 80th minute when striker Aziz Misibau’s powerful header from a corner crashed off the crossbar with the Congo keeper well beaten.
Despite their second half dominance, Ghana just could not find a way through as Congo held on for a hard-earned point.
In the other Group A match, Gambia and Benin played out a 1-1 stalemate, meaning all four teams are level on 1 point after the opening round of games.
While they would have hoped for a winning start, Ghana will take confidence from their second half display into their next group game against Gambia on Tuesday, March 12th.
The Black Stars know they likely need to win that game to keep their hopes alive of reaching the semi-finals as one of the top two teams in Group A.
