ACCRA – Ghana’s grip on the top of the group remains firm after a hard-fought 1-0 win against rivals Mali. A bizarre but brilliant goal from Alexander Djiku was all it took for the Black Stars to secure the victory and extend their lead to 19 points.
For much of the match, the two sides canceled each other out. The first half was a battle of attrition, with neither team able to find a clear path to goal. The game-changing moment finally came just after the restart. After a shot-cross from Caleb Yirenkyi forced a heroic save from Mali’s Djigui Diarra, the subsequent corner sent the crowd into a frenzy. Diarra misjudged his punch, and Djiku, falling to the ground, managed to poke the ball home in a moment of pure improvisation and determination. It was the scrappy goal a gritty match deserved, and it was enough to see Ghana home.
Sankofaonline
